Wedding Gift

Curly's cousin's daughter got married in North Carolina. All of Curly's siblings pitched in on the gift. We gave the happy couple a picnic basket.

Inside were plates, bowls, a tiffin box, and silverware.
Oh, and a quilt. Made by me. I'm so nice.
Curly's feet are so nice, too.

Breaking News

Because Amanda is the bomb.

Because my computer is broken. Just like everything else that could possibly break in this house. Just put it on my tab.

Because I had to drive through a thunderstorm with cloud to ground lightning all around me and broken tree branches in the road in order to pick up Flower today.

Because I am so beautiful.

Because Elmo is the best babysitter ever.

Because it got to 106 today, but felt like 122.

Because I still have a toilet on my back deck and a fridge in my living room.

Because Mini-me spread her sickness across 3 states.

My tutorial will be next week.

Here's what we'll be tuting on:

That is all.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Tomorrow is my turn to share my Quilted Fish project. It's not quite finished yet. Oops. I'm quite proud of my progress, though. You see, while we were on vacation, our basement flooded. Again. This time the culprit was a flash flood that raced down our street. Thanks to some good people, we didn't have to come home early. Also while on vacation, the floor renovation from the first flood began. To say we have come home to a mess is a little of an understatement. I'll deal with it tomorrow.

Here are some other thoughts on this hot July day:

• It's too hot to go to the pool. Ginger is in and out too much. If she'd just stay in, I'd probably take the kids.


• Mini-me refers to "Nilla Wafers" as "Nillas." I don't quite know how I feel about that.


• I called the school yesterday to find out what time Patch needed to be there for his Kindergarten assessment test. The secretary said "You mean the test that was yesterday?" Yeah. It's been like that.


• Gracie returned from the vet and, like Tigger, has lost her bounce. I don't mind.


• In my head, I have been referring to my upcoming tutorial as "sick" and "stupid." I think I have watched too much "So You Think You Can Dance."


• I love Ikea.

It's That Time Again!

The O'Kigins are hitting the open road in the morning. Nothing is packed. Am I stressed? Heck yes. Our wonderful contractor (who I love like a brother in law) decided that today was a good day to start the post-flood work in the kitchen. I have a toilet and dishwasher on my back deck, and a stove and fridge in my living room. The last load of laundry is in the drier, and then packing will begin in earnest. I'll try to blog from our mountain oasis. We'll be somewhere in North Carolina, near Tennessee. It should be cool, temperature wise. And when I get home? I'll have a lovely new kitchen floor. I can't wait for the trip to be over.

Holiday Hangover

It's so hard to get back into things the day after a holiday. Sometimes all you want to do is wear your onesie and an eye patch. But not for us today. We have a lunch date. And perhaps an appointment at the doll hair salon. We'll lounge next week.

Happy Independence Day!

Every year, our family takes part in a very patriotic breakfast. Curly dresses up as a Founding Father. This year, he was asked to be Thomas Jefferson. Patch does not like it when he has to dress up.

He was also King George.

Our cousins are usually there with us.

This year, Curly was in costume as people came. He had everyone sign the Declaration of Independence. It was really neat.

The program was amazing. Our Congressman spoke, they honored those who were currently serving, and they honored the vets who were there. Several World War II vets were asked to share some experiences. The label "The Greatest Generation" is well deserved.

Thank you to those who serve. We are grateful.

Gratitude

Today during church, I felt an overwhelmingly grateful. I am grateful for my kids, who are hilariously adorable. I am grateful for my Curly, who works really hard but also likes to play. I am grateful for my Grandma, who reads my blog every day and gave me really good genes that allow me to look 20 instead of 33. I am grateful we had a flood. I'm just very grateful. Amen.

Wrap Up

A big thanks to everyone who participated in Halloween in June. Unfortunately, I didn't finish my project. So, we're going to continue all summer long. Sound good? Don't forget to head over to the flickr group and upload your projects.

Don't forget this week's tutorial over at The Quilted Fish. It Julie's turn, and she has come up with the cutest runner. It's perfect for this weekend. I need to whip one up! If you make any of the Design Team projects, or anything with this fabulous fabric, be sure to put your photos on The Quilted Fish flickr group!

Halloween in June Idea

For those who are new to my life here on the internets, you may not be aware that I love Harry Potter. Wait, that doesn't seem like a strong enough statement. I don't know that what I have is necessarily an obsession, but it comes close. I have used the phrase "Dumble-dork" on more than one occasion. I have seen all the movies on opening day, the last 2 were seen at midnight. The first movie I was working for a Congressman in DC. I told my boss I had an "appointment." Technically, it was true. I had an appointment to see Harry. It was worth all the teasing when the truth was outed.

I have read the books more times than I care to admit. My pregnancy with Ginger was fraught with morning sickness for the first, oh, 18 weeks. I spent an entire week on the couch reading all 7 books. And then moved onto the Twilight series, which is post for another day. When we were at a family reunion on Cape Code, book 6 came out. I had one of the Spinster Sisters watch my kids while Curly and I went to get the book. At midnight. In fact, I have gotten most of the books at midnight, or had them delivered to my door first thing in the morning via amazon.

To sum up, I am a fan. The fact that the movie comes out while we are going to be on vacation has not escaped my notice. I doubt I'll be able to go at midnight, since the closest theater to us will be 40 miles away. It makes me sad. One thing I'll be doing with my kids before that is making wands. If that makes me a Dumble-dork, so be it.

Baby Quilts

This Spring, I had two new nephews enter my life. They are both handsome fellas. I thought they deserved a quilt for being born.

First up was for baby Hank. He lives in Canada. I got a little carried away when making his quilt. It's not so much baby size as it is lap size. Hank and big brother Rex can cuddle up together, read Skippyjon Jones, and know how much Aunt Jana loves them. For those who care about these stats, I used a Buggy Barn pattern found in American Patchwork and Quilting. Fabric is Pure by Sweetwater.

The second quilt was for baby Caden. It's really a baby size. I had a Pure charm pack, and used a pattern from Camille's book.
I really like how it turned out.
I just wish I had gotten better pictures of both quilts. I'm still figuring out my new camera. Apparently I have a lot to learn!

Are You There, Blog? It's Me, Jana

I've been quiet this week. Forgive me. With the excitement of Cars 2 (we bought our tickets ahead of time, thankyouverymuch) and the first full week of summer break, there's been a lot going on. And also, there's been a whole lot of nothing going on, too. Today I am being very productive. We woke up and went to the YMCA. After I finish typing this, I am going to put a load of laundry in. Then, it's time to hit the pool. We'll come home, get dressed, and go pick up Flower. We have tickets to the 5:15 showing of Cars 2. It's a very exciting day.

Today is also Candace's tutorial. Is this calendar not awesome? It's amazingly cute and creative, just like Candace.

The Final Countdown

Patch is a fan of Cars. He loves everything about the original. We have a fine collection of die cast cars that he uses to recreate scenes from the movie. He loves it so much, that one of Ginger's words is "Lightning." He woke me up this morning, asked me to open the new box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and then said, "Only 3 more days until Cars 2!"

He's a little excited.

My Dad

Seriously, this was the only recent picture I could find of my dad. It's from last summer. He's doing what he does best: directing and getting it done. My mom is either sneezing or laughing. I think she's laughing. My dad is the greatest dad in the world. I'm lucky to be his favorite child.

Happy Father's Day, Dad. Suuuuuuure love ya!

Friday Tutorial

This week's Quilted Fish tutorial is brought to us by the amazingly multi-talented Stephanie, PhD. Go here to learn how to make it. I can see myself making several of these. Wouldn't they make great shower gifts? Or Christmas presents? I need one for my kitchen and for each of my kids.

Also, this post is brought to you by the number 1000. Yup, it's true. I have blathered on in this forum 1000 times. Thanks for listening. A reward will be forthcoming.

Weight Loss Wednesday

Usually I relish summer because it's a time where I can let go of schedules. I like not having to go somewhere at a certain time, other than the pool of course. But, this summer I have plenty of motivation to stay on plan, which includes scheduling time to work out and planning ahead our meals. First, we have a wedding in July for Curly's cousin's daughter. Then, in August our very good friends are getting married. And finally, last night we received a text that Curly's baby brother Lieutenant Boo proposed to his girlfriend and will be getting married. Soon. Lieutenant Boo is in the Navy and has to do his patriotic duty again. We got to meet Miss Nora last week. We love her, too.

Frankly, I'd like to look hot at all these events. I'll be purchasing a new dress from Shabby Apple. I don't know which one yet, but I'm excited to choose. And, I'll be getting a new pair of heels of the super high variety.

So what's keeping you motivated this summer?

It's Still Spring!

The weather outside is delightful. We're living it up, pretending summer isn't just a heat stroke away. Flower is at her first year of Girl's Camp, Mini-me is at her last full day of school, Ginger is sleeping off our morning play-date, and Patch and Curly are on the back deck having lunch. Ah, this is the life. Tomorrow we'll talk about our weight, Thursday we'll talk about Halloween, and on Friday I'll show you a fabulous new tutorial. But for today, let's just bask in the loveliness of it all.

Preschool Graduation

A note came home on Tuesday saying there would not be a graduation this year, but instead the preschool would just be having a brief awards ceremony. Imagine our surprise when this walked in:

I am so glad I had my camera. The teacher asked if anyone knew why they were celebrating graduating. Patch loudly answered: "So long, preschool!" It was complete with a hand wave. This picture was taken right afterward. He looks pretty pleased with his joke:
But, most of the time he felt like this:
He and one little girl are moving up. They will both be at the same school for Kindergarten, which is pretty fun.
So there you go. Preschool cap and gown graduation. Now I've seen everything.

etsy updates

Finally, I have added things to my neglected etsy shop. It's about dang time! I have a few new pencil rolls, and then a couple of my other best selling items. Thanks for looking!

Curly took the older three kids camping this weekend. I was supposed to go, but as I surveyed the growing stacks of laundry, I opted out. Ginger and I have had a delightful time. We ordered pizza, took a tubby, and then I had my girls over to drool over Edward and Jacob. It was great. The campers return sometime tonight. I have 3 loads of laundry to go, plus some dishes. And then, if there's time, I get to work on Curly's super secret Father's Day gift. That he asked for. And picked out the t-shirts for. At least I know what he wants, right?

Friday Tutorial

Head over to The Quilted Fish to see this week's Design Team tutorial. Jackie specializes in 3D quilted art. She has some amazing pieces. Go check out her tutorial!

Temper Tantrums

She may look harmless, but her mood can change in less than 2 seconds. Tonight I have had to reaffirm my administration's stance that we do not negotiate with terrorists. Her argument that she was not at all tired lost all credence when screamed in my face. When she realized her tactics were failing, she quickly switched to claiming an indifference on my part. Her demands? Being able to stay up and watch Gnomeo and Juliet. I held firm, and now she is asleep, less than 15 minutes after the battle began. Score one for Mommy.

Let's Share!

Here is the part of Halloween in June that I am pretty excited about: the part where we share. Leave a link with your project. It doesn't need to be completed, you don't even need to have started it yet! Little confession -- I haven't started mine yet. Ooops. But, here is a photo of one of things on my list:

It's the Creepy Countdown from Crazy Old Ladies. She doesn't have any patterns in her shop right now, but I'm sure if you contacted her she'd be able to hook you up.

A Little Inspiration

While Ginger naps and the other 3 are outside playing, I thought I would share some spooktacular and bootiful things I found while surfing the web.

First, I found this shop on etsy. She has some great paper piecing patterns for Halloween. Love it! Amy Bradley has some adorable quilt patterns. Look at this Halloween one. Her patterns are all fusible applique, so even beginners can give them a shot. For those who enjoy knitting, Danger Crafts has some adorable monster patterns. I think Penelope the Empathetic Monster is my favorite. If easy crafting is more your thing, go to Say it on the Wall. She's even offering a discount this month through her blog. It's worth a look.

Second, I want to share my favorite thing I decorate with in October. It's Department 56 buildings. Seriously, they are awesome. I have them in my dining room. I cheat a little and put them out during the last week of September.

I think I have room for one more. And this one would just be perfect.

When I Said

When I said we would do a fun linky party today, I forgot that the next round of tutorials for the Creative Consultants Design Team started today. Silly me! We'll link up on Monday, m'kay? So today, go over to Amanda's blog to see the adorable mug rug tutorial from Brooke.

I am thrilled with the response so far to Halloween in June. We are going to have us a good time! I wanted to clarify the rules, if that's alright with you. Please take out a pen and paper. I'll wait. Just kidding! Your Halloween projects don't need to be quilts. They don't need to involve a sewing machine. You can scrapbook, you can cricut, you can knit, you can sew, or you can put together some costumes. The sky's the limit! I'm excited to see what everyone comes up with. Don't forget to join the flickr group and upload some photos.

Also, I am so close to 1000 posts. I have almost lost 50 pounds. I bought a new camera. I have two brand new nephews. I think it's time for a giveaway. Come back next Tuesday for that. Up for grabs: Mini-me.

I kid, I kid.

Sort of.

New Flickr Group

I created a Flickr group so everyone can show off their Halloween projects. Go here and join!

Halloween in June, Day 1

Happy June! It's a hauntingly beautiful day here. Well, not really. It's as hot as Hades and probably more humid. I've got the crisp days of October on my mind. I'm ready for some creepy crafts. How about you?

I wanted to have a photo of the projects I'd like to do this month. But, my camera is not cooperating. It was in direct line of fire during the flood, so we need a new one. I have my eye on a lovely point and shoot over at the WalMart. Hopefully by Friday it will be in my hot little hands and I will be able to provide some pictures. For those who are playing along, Friday we'll have a little linky party to show what you plan on doing.

In my perfect world, I'd complete a project a week, giving me four new things for Halloween. I have a few pillows to make, a quilt kit to assemble, and maybe a vinyl project or two. In fact, there are several things here I'd like to make!

So grab the button and leave me a comment letting me know you're joining in the fun!

Halloween in June

Let's have a party in June, shall we? Every year when October rolls around, I am busy with school and the upcoming Christmas craft fair season. I don't get to enjoy Halloween crafts. And, let's face it, Halloween is my favorite holiday. I don't go for scary Halloween, I prefer a more whimsical route. So this June, I'll be hosting Halloween in June here on my blog. Join me, won't you? Grab the button on your right and put it on your blog. We'll have links to fun ideas, recipes, and tutorials to get us in the mood. So pull out your Halloween projects you just didn't have time to get to last year. We'll have a spooktacular time!

Thanks to Amanda for the button design. Witch graphic by Lilly Bimble.

Weight Loss Wednesday

I have hardly thought about my weight this week. With the flood on Thursday, I missed my Weight Watchers meeting. Tomorrow is Kindergarten orientation for Patch, so I'm hoping to go on Friday. I am not expecting good things. We've had a lot of eating out, since our kitchen has been out of commission. Yesterday was the first day I could really get in there and do anything. Like dishes. Normally we have a no-shoe policy in the house. Kids shoes are gross. But we are now facing the opposite in the kitchen. The floor has staples and is rough wood. The last thing we need are splinters in tender tootsies.

It's hot here. In fact, it truly is too darn hot. Like 90. With major humidity. I tolerate summer. I know, I know. I should love it. I love taking my kids to the pool (and they love going). My birthday, anniversary, Patch's birthday, and Curly's birthday all fall within summer. I love to grill. I love going to the park. However, I love all this when it's about 75 tops. Maybe we should move to San Diego. I don't think dishwasher hoses crack in San Diego. In fact, I'm certain they don't.

Onward and Upward

I have been elbow deep in guck the past few days. Cleaning up after a flood is awful. I empathize with the people whose entire homes are being flooded as we speak. I still have my house. I still have my family. I still have my sense of humor. Anything else I need? Well, that's why God invented Target. I get to go pick out a new iron tomorrow. I am very excited. I also get a new ironing board cover. I've wanted a new one for months now. You can hardly see the clouds for all the silver linings!

I have something very fun planned for the month of June. You won't want to miss it. In fact, I have a feeling you'll want to play along. And tell all of your friends. And tell your friends to tell their friends. Have I piqued your interest yet? Come back over the next few days and all will be revealed. And remember the thing about the friends? Do that.

The Flood

As I sit here, I am not listening to the sounds of my children playing. I'm not even listening to the click of the keys. I am instead listening to the sounds of nearly a dozen industrial blowers, tasked with drying out my main level and basement. Yesterday morning, I came downstairs to hear the rush of gushing water. I rounded the corner into the kitchen, only to land in an inch or so of water, which was not only filling the kitchen but running into the basement as well. The basement, AKA my studio. Horror, shock, and regret immediately hit me.

Not two weeks ago I felt strongly that I needed to get all of my fabric into plastic bins. I immediately went to Target and purchased a bunch and dutifully brought them down to the basement. Then I got distracted by laundry, kids, pretty fabric, tv, and any other worthwhile and worthless endeavor. The bins are still sitting, empty and dry, while my fabric has taken a beating. Anything in a bin or covered drawer is fine. Anything sitting on a table or in my open storage is not. I have been able to salvage a lot, but my current in the works projects are ruined. Not only did color run, but some of the projects were done without pre-washing the fabric. Which means that if I did wash it, the blocks would all shrink to different sizes and would not be usable. To say that I am heartsick is an understatement. I knew I was getting a spiritual prompting two weeks ago. I ignored it. I thought I had more time. Big lesson learned for me: when the Spirit speaks, don't keep sitting.

Other than my personal loss, we're looking at major damage in our kitchen. The vinyl floor was ripped up yesterday, revealing a less than attractive wood floor underneath that is studded with Frankenstein-esque staples all throughout. The cabinets are soaked. The wall between the kitchen and living room is very wet. Hopefully the blowers will be able to dry us out to avoid mildew, but I think a lot of damage was already done. We are definitely getting a new floor. We might also be getting new cabinets. And if the wall is damaged, hello major kitchen remodel. There is a silver lining, people.

Weight Loss Wednesday

Last week I lost a little over a pound. I am a little over 2 pounds away from losing 50 pounds. As I watched The Biggest Loser from last night, I got weepy as they carried their weight on their backs, shedding the amount they lost each week as they went. It made me want to load up a backpack with 50 pounds worth of stuff and walk around the block. I looked in the mirror today and loved what I saw. I feel more confident about myself, and I have tons more energy. To misquote the elephants in Dumbo: Let us take a solemn vow. I am no longer an elephant.

Shower Gift

My friend Michelle is having baby #4. After 3 girls, she's finally getting a boy. Boys are great. I'm glad I have one. Boys are also busy and messy and silly, so I'm equally glad I only have one. I wanted to make her something unique for her shower, as I figured she was probably going to be inundated with tiny clothes adorned with balls, frogs, and trucks. So I made a pillow. Then I put a bird (or 6) on it.

I embroidered their family name on the bottom, and then did an envelope finish on the back. I think she liked it.
The best part was that I had all the materials on hand, so it was free! Sort of.

I Didn't Go

This past weekend was International Quilt Market in Salt Lake City. I tried to convince Curly that it was a medical necessity for me to go, but he didn't believe me. Other members of The A Team were there. So was my Hanging Chair Sign. Candice has some great posts with photos that will make you wish you were there. 14 hours on your feet a day for 4 days? Sign me up! Sally also has some pictures on her blog. Julie was there, too, but she only has one picture. I hope she takes the hint and posts some more!

I have started saving up for Houston in the fall. Amanda needs me. So far I have $3.27. How much are plane tickets again?

My Thoughts

I lost a follower today. Where did you go? Who were you? Why don't you like my kids?

I forgot to blog yesterday. So we'll save my weigh-in news for next week. Let's just say I am really close to a milestone.

I haven't had any heat or air conditioning on in my house for over a week. I feel so frugal.

Diet Coke is delicious.

I feel more like me in my new contacts. It's been since last July that I've had any. Why are they so dang expensive?

I would much rather wear a skirt in warm weather than shorts.

I would really like a pair of yellow flats.

I still get nervous each time I make a quilt. What if I mess it up? What if I ruin the pretty fabric? I usually get over it.

What's on your mind today?

Happy Mother's Day!

To the greatest mom alive: Thanks.

Shades

My kids love sunglasses. They each have at least 2 pairs. I heard it helps save their eyes later in life. Also, the look really cool. Ginger loves to have a pair on, even in the house. This little one is ready for summer. Today at the park, she climbed up on the playground and went down the slide all by herself. It's official: we no longer have a baby in the house, just a toddler.

Happy Birthday, Dear Flower!

12 is a big deal.

Weight Loss Wednesday

Photo courtesy of Mini-me. Yes, I am wearing a hoodie with horizontal stripes. I'm just amassing my wardrobe fit for What Not to Wear.

Just a quick thought this late on Wednesday -- any time I am frustrated by how slowly the weight is coming off, or how many little setbacks I have, I think that if I had gained 46 pounds in the same amount of time, I would be hugely fat. I won't tell you the number, but I will tell you that I would be right at home at The Biggest Loser. That's some pretty good perspective for me.

Spring Break Surprise

On Thursday of Spring Break, I told the kids we were going on a picnic. I packed up the car with all the stuff we would need, like extra outfits and pillows and a pack-and-play. Luckily our kids aren't too aware of their surroundings, so they didn't even pick up on the strange packing list or lack of food. About an hour into the drive, we broke the news: We were going to New York City. The girls were so excited. Patch cried. He thought a picnic sounded funner.

We stayed with Grandpa in Harlem. On Friday morning, we hopped on the Subway and headed down to the Brooklyn Bridge. The walk across took nearly an hour. It was really fun.
We had lunch at the world famous Grimaldi's Pizza. Yum. I love pizza cooked in a brick oven. I also love eating at places that are world famous. We walked around Brooklyn for awhile, in an area called DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). We found the Jacque Torres chocolate shop. It smelled delicious and reminded me of the movie Chocolat.
After Brooklyn, we hopped back on the subway and did some shopping at the American Girl store. We walked up to Central Park, rode the carousel, and walked over to the LDS Temple that is near Lincoln Center. We climbed on a fountain, got in trouble, and then got back on the subway.
Dinner was at Ellen's Stardust Diner, where the waiters are actors and Patch fell asleep holding a hot dog bun. We did a little more shopping after dinner, and then got back on the subway to get our car, which was parked in Harlem.
It was a really fun trip. It was a really fast trip. Our kids were so surprised and are begging us to go back. Spring Break just wasn't long enough.

A Ginormous Amount of Gratitude

I know some of my readers don't give two hoots about quilting and the online quilt-blogging community. So a little background info may be in order. Recently, an virtual discussion has been taking place about the direction of quilting. To sum up, some people think modern quilting=easy quilting and some people think that traditional quilters are old fat ladies who wear quilted vests. As a community, we have put down our rotary cutters and pulled out our claws. I don't like it. I also don't like when people are mean. So here is the biggest THANKS! I can shout. I have never received a negative comment on my blog. I have only felt support when I brag about my projects, my family, and my life. My readers rock, and I am grateful.

One Week Ago

Reality is not as fun.

Weight Loss Wednesday

I skipped my Weight Watchers meeting last week. With all the kids home for Spring Break, I didn't think it was a good idea to arrive at a meeting with 4 kids. I knew in my head that I wouldn't be weighing in, so I wasn't as careful as I needed to be. I went to the movies twice and ate movie theater popcorn. Twice. And I had cupcakes. It was all delicious. I'm not scared to face the scale tomorrow, because that number is as permanent or as temporary as I choose it to be. Trust me when I say: It's temporary.

I broke down and turned on the air conditioning today. The temperatures have been in the 80s, and our house just didn't cool down at night. When I woke up today, it was 79 in the house. Our Easter chocolate was starting to melt, and that would be a tragedy.

Appalling

My last post was so long ago. It's appalling! What can I say? We've been busy. Spring Break was last week. We went to NYC for the day on Friday. It was Easter, which is always a wonderful day. And then it's been warm -- in the 80's kind of warm -- so we've been outside. I have a ton of pictures to go through, not to mention some pictures to take of some fun quilty things. So don't delete my blog from your list of favorites just yet!

Weight Loss Wednesday

...On Thursday. Oh well. A day late is better than never, right? It was a victorious week for me. I am down another 3.2 pounds. Yay me! Today's discussion was about "me time." It's hard for me to spend time on myself. Curly works a lot, and strange hours to boot. I'm with the kids a lot and when I'm not, I am wiped out. But I decided in the meeting to do at least 2 things that make me happy. I got in the car, called the YMCA and made a playroom reservation for Ginger so I could Zumba. Ginger hates being left, and it's hard for me to listen to her sob as I leave. But, she has a good time while she's there. So I left her without guilt and Zumba'd for a wonderful hour. And then tonight, I sewed. I found some really pretty and fun fabric for a picnic quilt, so tonight I started it. I think it's going to be lovely.

So those were my two things I did for myself today. It was restoring to my soul. I feel happy and optimistic. And also, I feel tired. But mostly I feel really good. For those who are losing weight along with me, keep up the good work! Any victory should be celebrated, so go to it!

Moving On

It's Monday already? Yikes. This week went by fast! We had quite the momentous weekend here. Nearly the entire family came up to see Curly and Flower in South Pacific. They were both so good. Curly's French accent is tres bon! And Flower was the perfect little Polynesian girl. It was a fun weekend.

Then yesterday. Yesterday! Ginger took her first steps. She thought it was so funny. She enjoyed all the cheering. But then she got confused. She thought that we were clapping for her fall. So then she would take half a step, and then make a big production of falling and say "Oooohhh!" on the way down. It was pretty cute, but not as cute as walking. We tried to tell her that, but she didn't believe us. And now today, she refuses to have her feet touch the floor. Anytime I put her down, her bum goes back and her feet go up. The message is clear: Hope you enjoyed the show on Sunday, because it's never happening again.

Weight Loss Wednesday

I haven't been in to weigh in this week. Patch has a nasty cough today, so he's home from preschool while we try to help it get better. It makes his cheeks rosy and his bottom lip chappy.

Speaking of bottoms, I fell on mine on Monday. I was carrying a giant basket of laundry down the stairs when I slipped. I landed on my left cheek and tricep. I have bruises that you would have to see to believe. And, well, you'll just have to take my word for it. There is no way I'm taking a picture of my tush, no matter how cute it's getting.

Friday Tutorial

Today's tutorial is brought to you by Stephanie. It's awesome. Go here to check it out!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well, I was up this week. It's so unpleasant to report that! I know exactly what went wrong, too. I didn't keep my food journal. That seems to make all the difference for me. So, I'll keep my journal this week, exercise a little more, and next week I'll have lost what I gained plus a little extra to boot. I cannot wait for warmer weather so we can go for walks downtown and spend more time at the park. My kids are like caged animals here! Ginger loves to wrestle with Patch. He's not always a fan, but he tries to be a good sport.

Ginger is napping now. Yesterday she slept for over 2 hours. It was heavenly. I have some fun projects I'm working on. Maybe I'll show some progress pictures tomorrow. I have some really pretty fabric to work with. Pretty fabric makes grey days seem a little easier.

Friday Tutorial

Up today is the penultimate tutorial using Sweet Divinity. "Penultimate" is a great word. It does not mean "better than ultimate." Rather, it means "second to last." Between this and the tutorial, you have now learned two things. Well, unless you already knew the meaning of "penultimate." If you did, good for you. I should have done a Pioneer Woman style quiz. Oh well. Next time I know an appropriate really big word, that's what we'll do.

Anyway, go here and see how Johanna from Germany put this really cute quilt together. Oh, wait. Do you know German? Just kidding. It's in English. (I just crack myself up sometimes!)

Yoo-hoo!

It doesn't get much cuter!

Weight Loss Wednesday

This week, my grand total lost reached 45 pounds. That's a lot. I think Mini-me weighs 45 pounds. I'm pretty sure Flower doesn't weigh much over that. In celebration, I bought some fabric that was on sale. Don't tell Curly. He thinks I have "enough." Silly man. Yesterday at my weigh in, my leader gave me some sad news: Next week is the last week for our time slot. No more Tuesday 9:00 meeting. I'm really not happy about this. While children are welcome at any meeting, they are less welcome at some than at others. I have taken my kids to Wednesday meetings, and the leader made comments to the whole group about how noisy the kids were. She never asked us to keep them quiet, nor did she talk to us about it before the meeting. It was very passive aggressive and not at all friendly. The Thursday morning meeting was very full. The leader is southern and hilarious. There were a couple of kids there, but they were infants in carriers. The meeting was so crowded that I don't think there is room for me to bring mine. I will probably end up going on Monday mornings, even though I don't really like the leader. I'm not sure what my friends will end up doing. I hope at least one (I go with 4 friends) will come with me.

So this week the goal is to stay healthy. Mini-me is home with a cough and a low fever, Ginger has been growing teeth and has a low fever, and Patch told me all day yesterday that he threw up. He had not, but I think he's tired of all the attention his sisters are getting. We are laying low today and hopefully tomorrow everyone will be on the mend!