Update

Fortunately, Maggie is feeling much better. I still had her take the anti-inflammatory medicine, just to be sure that she keeps improving.

I hope (need) to do some sewing tomorrow. I have so many projects that need to get done. I am hoping that the kids play with each other better tomorrow than they did today.

I will try to take pics of my projects. And, if it isn't raining, I need to transplant the seedlings.

Family Jammies Pictures!

It didn't go too badly. Our appointment yesterday was for 2:30. In normal weather, it would take us about 1/2 hour to get to the mall where we had to go. Because of the forecast, we left our house around noon ish, hoping if we got there early, they would take us and we could be home before the bulk of the storm.

A couple of flakes started to float down as we got into the car. Drive not even 5 minutes to the post office to mail a package, snow is really coming down. Debate, do we chance it, or try for another day? Call studio. No other times that would work for us. Drive a little more. Decide to go for it. Takes us about an hour and a half to get there. Still early for scheduled time, and they take us early! Yay!

Little man had napped in the car and was in a great mood, and didn't try to run away when I changed him into his jammies. All is good, until he sees the camera. Wow...he was not a happy camper. Felt a little bad for the kid trying to take pictures, he went and got someone else after it was clear that Nate wasn 't going to stop crying for him.

After 2 girls try, the manager came in. She was able to distract him enough that when he looked at the camera, he at least wasn't crying! Maggie and Cassie were super while all this was happening.

And even though Nate had a meltdown, we were able to get 2 nice pictures out of it all!

So, after we pick out the pictures, we went to the food court, the girls and I were super hungry. Most of the stores and food places had closed at this point (about 3:30)

Get to our car about 4:30, and wow the snow. Lino had already decided that we would take a back road home, which thank goodness he did. Yes, it took about 2 hours to get home, but if we had been on the highway, it would have been much much longer. The 11 oclock news was reporting that the traffic was still so backed up that there were schoolbuses with elementary kids on them....52 kids still not home at 11 oclock at night!

The kids are super excited about the snow, so today we are headed to the store to get snow boots for all and snowpants for Nate.

Busy, busy, busy!

Maybe it was all those years that I worked in retail, when the pressure of the holiday season had everyone stressed out, but the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas seem to just fly by.

Now, with Christmas just a couple of weeks away, I still have gifties to make. I hope I can get them all done.

Also keeping me busy, aside from the usual laundry and dishes, etc. is Etsy! I decided to go for it and start an Etsy shop. http://www.mamasewsfun.etsy.com/ Slowly but surely, I am working on getting an inventory. I have even had a sale, yay! (although, it was from someone on a computer forum that has seen other things I have done; I asked her if she would go through Etsy for the exposure) And, another custom order might be in the works. Very exciting.

I am spending time on the Etsy forums, to try and learn more about the process, and pick up hints and tricks. Shipping can seem kind of complicated when you list an item, but from reading on the forums, I understand it better, so I will reevaluate my items and adjust the shipping.

As for our Christmas card picture....not that we are running late with it (refer to my comment about time between Turkey Day and Christmas) but we have an appointment at The Picture People coming up this week. We tried to go Saturday, but they were completely booked. It kind of stinks, because that company closed a ton of locations, our favorite one at the mall closest to us included, so there are only 4 studios within drivng distance, and the closest of those is going to be about 1/2 hour away. The others are at least an hour or more. So it could be completely hit or miss to get a 'fresh' picture of the kids after they have been travelling.... we'll see. I have a coupon, so it won't cost us anything but time.

The sweatshirt is one that I wore when I was pregnant with the girls. I actually used it as my winter coat...It was a good fit at the time, I was huge! And, I was plenty warm, given that I was carrying two little heaters inside!

Anyhow, Cassie and Maggie got a kick out of trying it on.I still wear it, it is good on cold nights when I have to get up with Nate..he doesn't like blankets....on anyone!

Making progress

I hope to be able to post pictures of nearly completed jammies later today (I don't think I have enough drawstring for mama and papa's pants.) I should be able to completely finish the kids' pants though. I had hoped to be finished with these by now, but I had a horrible migraine the other day, it had me out of commission for pretty much the whole day. Thankfully, it was Lino's day off, and he was able to feed the kids! So, lost sewing time....sniff.

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. )

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'? )

I've been tagged!

I've been tagged by Catherine


Here are the rules:

Link to your tagger and post these rules.2. Share 7 facts with you: some random, some weird.3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.
~~~~~~~~~~~`

So seven random facts:

1. Although math is my least favorite subject, I love finding number patterns and making number stuff (our family number is 17)

2. In elementary school I won a Rubik's Cube contest. I solved 2 cubes the fastest. I even taught the gym teacher how to do the cube in exchange for extra gym class

3. I believe that Lizzie Borden did not, could not have murdered her parents.

4. I have met Joan Baez .

5. I write with my left hand, but can write and do most things with my right.

6. Someday I would love to write childrens books.

7. I love silly jokes. Why does a seagull live by the sea? Scroll over for answer: If it lived by the bay, it would be a bagel (baygull!) Funny, right? And another one: Where does a general keep his armies? Scroll over: In his sleevies!



Now my turn to tag. I don't know if I have 7 people to tag to! Let's see.

Becca
Fantsypantsy
Melissa

3. I have 3....if I come up with more, I will amend my list.

Amazing site with loads of creativity!

Thanks Catherine! She shared this site link with me, and wow! So much talent, and so many ideas.

www.craftster.org


Like I really needed any more excuses to avoid chores, lol!

Full moon on the internet?

Back in April when I started researching embroidery machines, I discovered some sewing forums. Seemed like a lot of friendly, super talented and creative people. The projects that were being posted were just amazing, and once I knew what machine I was getting, I started downloading free embroidery designs. (that have been beautiful to stitch)

Well, apparently there is a lot of dramatic back history, because within the last month, the one forum has kind of blown up. People who have seemingly done nothing wrong, getting banned; moderators deleting posts for their own personal agenda, administrators just sticking their heads in the sand hoping it will all go away. It is just crazy. Like a car wreck, you just can't help but read it, and it is sad, because 1) these are all adults, acting like 8th grade girls and 2) lost sewing time! The forum has a 'weird' feel to it now.

I find it strange, too, because another completely unrelated forum I frequent is having its own drama right now.....

Oops!

I totally forgot to take a picture of a project. I hate when I do that!