a New Fridge, a Cleaner Kitchen, & a Surprise for my Hubby

It all started with cleaning a refrigerator. A few years ago I was cleaning our frig out, I was doing some thorough cleaning. The kind where you find yourself taking everything, food, shelves, and drawers out. Well, I was doing such a great job that I took out s shelf, walked through the house, out to hose it off, when all of a sudden it shattered everywhere. So, if you are thinking it is time to hose off you’re the compartments to you fridge, please be sure to check whether or “plastic” shelves are glass. Hahaha…still makes me chuckle to this day. Anyway that was just the beginning to the downward fall of our fridge, that we had bought maybe a year before all of this began. Shortly after the shattered glass, one of the side door shelf holder in things cracked and than just split. A few months after that the crisper drawers both cracked and broke after another cleaning. Just a week ago second shelf thing a ma jig broke. To say the least we have been making do. I have been on the look out for a good deal on a fridge. The cost of shipping and parts for replacements on our current fridge are as much a new to us fridge.

And than the new to us fridge made her appearance yesterday afternoon, and for free! Downside, this puppy smelled and needed some major cleaning. My husband was doubtful.

 

 

He gets really annoyed at me for taking in free stuff that needs too much tender loving care in his opinion. However, I promise you this time he will be utterly surprised! I cleaned it thoroughly, and not a single thing broke!!! Yee haw, we are on the road to having a fully functional fridge.

After spending a few hours on the fridge, I came into the house and began the much needed spring cleaning in the hardest room in the house. You guessed it, the kitchen. I just had to do it, a girl cannot bring a new fridge into a dirty mess of a kitchen. She may break and fall apart if you are not up to par.

The kitchen is so overwhelming to me, that to today I focused on the appliances and wiping down walls, cupboards, and floors.

 

After a weekend away, I will haul all the chotksys out of the cupboards and wipe em’ down.

After the kitchen I have only the laundry room and two closets. Hooray, the big spring cleaning binge is almost said and done.

Than I am moving on to some sewing for the Florida trip and a few things I realized I need for the house after cleaning it up and out.

Happy weekending to all of you….

Hey Babe, this one is for you. No more unnecessary smoke detectors going off at all time of the day.

Day 5 Family Reunion Dress by Oliver + S sew along with Above All Fabric

 

I cannot tell you where my fear of finishing things off stems from, but it seriously took a lot of talking myself into sitting down at the machine and finishing up these dresses.

Ok, so they are not totally finished. I may be the lone Above All Fabric sew along sewer that needs 6 days rather than 5 to be 100% done, but eh’ I am now one day away. Ohhh…and I sewed two, not just one. Hahaha…excuses, excuses.

I am super d’ duper hip hop happy with the final outcome thus far. I am so happy, that I am seriously considering having the buttonholes done by a professional seamstress, as I really do not want to screw up the nice handy work I have done.

I highly recommend this pattern being that it is my first Oliver +s, but folks be ready as I will be blogging a plenty about many more. This pattern was wonderful! I love the simple instructions, written in English, as opposed to sewing jargon. The diagrams were simple and self explanatory. The writers of the pattern were ever so kind to add in hints, that made the sewing so much more pleasurable. Folks, I am telling you this pattern was W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L, wonderful, wonderful. I sewed these little kitty cats up every night beginning at about 10 and I still maintained sewers sanity throughout the whole experience. So, if you are a beginner hop on the train here, and if you are advanced well sew it whenever. For a more advanced sewer it is the equivalent to reading mindless, fun, reading.

There you have it. Tomorrow, I will be purchasing buttons and finishing up these cuties. Or shall I see a seamstress or myself will be finishing them up.

If you have any advice on sewing buttonholes using a Bernina Virtuosa, they would be greatly appreciated!!!

xoxoxo

A Few Fun Moments from Today

My kiddos had me giggling today, all day long. We began with the Scary Sisters.

Scary Sister #1 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

They had me at AHHH!!!! Scream and after scream, I just kept laughing harder and harder. Silence would settle and I would find myself asking for just, “one more scary scream”.

The Scary Sisters VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

After a screaming good time, we gathered in the kitchen and ate cookies straight off the pan. Can you say, “yummy'”? I should never ever stray away from baking for this long again. Which is most definitely easier said than done, as every time I enter the kitchen my longing for my father is almost unbearable. Which would explain the lack of cooking in these parts these past few months.

Nishan began our summer string of camps today. While he reinvented recycled goods into action figures and town buildings, the gals and I rode bikes to the beach park.

I seriously have not a thing to complain about. Sitting on the beach, swinging my beans, knitting, and chatting with my eldest. The day was good.

When I did not think it could get any better, my kids got together and performed a Dance Show for momma’s and dada’s only. If you can keep a secret, I can too. Please enjoy a few snapshots from our private screening.

Dancing Ballerinas VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Do you see those chunky monkey thighs? Oh my, I want to just gobble them up. So utterly delicious. And, then my Lilli with her impish little smile. My smile was ear to ear…

The Dancing Man VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

And then my son presented his robot man, and my cheeks began to hurt I smiled so hard.

Day 4 of the Sew Along VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I ended the night finishing up Day 4 of the Family Reunion Dress by Oliver + S sew along with Above All Fabric. I am so very happy with the way my girls dresses are sewing right up.

Today was not just a good day, but a pretty awesome one if you ask me!!!

{This Moment}-June 17, 2011

{This Moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Have a lovely weekend!

I kind of cheated as I added a few more to benefit our memory.

Inspired by Amanda Soule at http://www.soulemama.typepad.com/

Day 2 Family Reunion Dress by Oliver + S Sew Along with Above All Fabric

I have spent the last 2 nights blissfully acquiring the skills to sew a pintuck. Actually 24 pintucks. I jumped into this project without any knowledge on exactly what skills I would need to have to sew the Oliver + S Family Reunion Dress. I confidently traced and cut out 2 sizes in the pattern without much thought. So, when I began Day 2 of the sew along focusing on pintucks and button tabs, my confidence immediately screeched to a halt.

I kid you not I read the instructions at least a handful of times, looked here at least another 5 times, and than traced and pinned another 5 times, till the damn light bulb turned on.

24 pintucks later & a bit of stain remover for the ultra technical/ professional tracing skills I was ready and rearing to get on to the much simpler button tabs.

It has been a while since I have sewn using a pattern. As you may have noticed I tend to sew things made of rectangles and only rectangles. I never realized how versatile the simple rectangle would be in my sewing career. Anyway, point being that when using “real” patterns, you sometimes need to bust our the big guns.

Today, I used tracing paper, a tracing wheel, a ruler, a water soluble pen, and lots and lots of pins.

The finished results were more than worth it. I cannot believe how rewarding the small intricate steps are in this sew along. With my confidence a bit stronger I am looking forward to Day 3 sewing the shoulder seams and front neck facing.

Keeping It Real

~I am so not looking forward to Father’s Day, like not at all. Not a single bone in my body is feeling it this year. I am not ready to celebrate my father, as he is not here in the flash to celebrate with. Yes, I know so many things that I can focus on to feel better, but right now I want to feel his loss. One day I will be ready to celebrate the father he was.

~It is becoming more and more difficult to stay positive and in the moment regarding my husbands “employment” or lack there of.

~Staying positive is exhausting and rewarding.

~Feeling perplexed by our current situation.

~Navigating my way through the cycle of grief and finding it to be tiresome and troublesome.

~Frustrated by our current economy.

~Skeptical of our political system.

~Ready to head to bed, snuggle my wide awake 2 year old, and immerse myself in a love story, forgetting the trials and errors of right now.

Crossing One Off the Summer 2011 Bucket List

It was another busy Monday with a dentist appointment, Costco run, impromptu Fabric Store stop and whatever else I was trying to get done.

Oh and a stop at the Decker’s our local Uggs Outlet Store. Could you of resisted those knitscrumptious boots? Well, I could not, they make me want to eat my kids legs, literally gobble them up, they look so darn delicious.

After a day that I tried to jam way to much into all I wanted to do was go home and sleep. Ha ha ha…yeah it was never going to happen. Hello? I do have kids and yes, they need me till I send them off to sleep.

Keeping Up with Big Sista’ VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Upon arriving home and taking over an hour to put away groceries, Lillitha had requested at least 10 times if we could bike to the beach and eat  dinner. Great minds think alike! Earlier I had shared on Facebook that I hoped to make it to the beach.

Running Free After a Freebird VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Hopping on the bike, feeling the wind in my hair, arriving at the beach, it was the perfect way to end a pretty funky day.

My family ate, I sat, stared, listened, and learned. I seriously took mental notes as I watched my children so simply embrace that time, right where they were, as if there were nothing else to think of in the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each of them in a way all their own, did as they pleased, what made them feel good, without interruption, guidance, or direction. They owned themselves and that time. This gave me room to sit still in my own thoughts without interruption.

Playing in Nature VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

It really is a beautiful thing to witness your children live life fully. When I sit still and watch my children live, I learn so much more from them than I could of ever imagined.

This Girl of Mine Keeps Me Smiling VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Lillitha requested, wanting to say yes more than no, I obliged, thinking, “I am going to say ‘yes’ more than no and that a picnic at the beach is on our newest bucket list”. This was most definitely a very, very worthy yes. Proving why one must say yes even when all this momma wanted to do was sleep.

And She Melts my Heart with a Smile All Her Own VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

We laughed, we smiled, we chatted, we joked, we ate, we ran, we walked, we biked, we learned, we felt, we watched, and when we laid our heads to rest we smiled just a bit wider.

Day 1 Family Reunion Dress by Oliver + S Sew Along with Above All Fabric

I decided spur of the moment today to cease the itch I had to join this sew along. I came across it here a few weeks ago, I did not think it was a good idea for me to add something new to my already full platter. However, as the days have slowly slid by, it is the perfect thing for me to keep myself busy with.

When I decided I just had to join on in the sew along, we hopped into our local fabric store on our way home and came home with just what we needed.

An Oliver + S Family Reunion Dress Pattern that will fit two of my gals, Fabric that will make both the girls giddy, and Notions to complete the sew along.

After we got the little people to bed, my hubby and I kept ourselves busy in our shared craft room.

I decided it was best to not bite off more than I could chew, so I focused on getting one dress pattern traced and cut out tonight.

Tomorrow, I am aiming for dress #2, as the sew long day 2 is not again till Wednesday.

I am super excited to have decided to scratch that itch and join along. I have been wanting to sew using an Oliver + S pattern for over a year and just never took the plunge.

Hoping to fall in love with sewing with these patterns, hoping to have 2 new dresses for my girls to wear in Florida, hoping to smile more, frown less, and enjoy working on something to keep my mind off the current frustrations we are living.

And tonight I lay me head to bed feeling a tad bit better after completing Day 1 of the sew along.

Summer

It is coming to that inevitable time, when seasons change. They come and go, just as they should, and always right when I feel my bones needing a bit of change. Mother Nature she knows and I do believe she knows best.

Here we are, a new season, a new slate. It is time to put this seasons bucket list on that slate, mark it up a bit, get it dirty with our wants, needs, desires, interests.

 

This will be just the beginnings, the lists will grow with each check off. As I find that when we accomplish something, we yearn for more, so we do more, and the circle of life and learning continue. I relish in the ideas of my children and where this season will take us.