The Finished Project

I was so excited to finish that I worked on the bag again today. I hadn't planned on sewing again for a few days, but it actually just took about two hours to assemble. I am very impressed I was able to make it turn out so well and that the fabrics look so good together. I was really worried about matching them.

Lauren helped model so you can get an idea of how big it is. I used a different type of interface since the store didn't have the one called for and I wanted to be sure the bag was sturdy. Well it is, perhaps a little too sturdy. The bag can stand by itself and should last a long time.

I also have to put in a plug here for my sewing machine. Back in Chicago I bought my first sewing machine. I got a used Bernina 1000. I bought a Bernina basically because that's what I used at home and my mom swears by the brand. In hindsight I think I should have taken someone with me who is a bit more experienced with machines sort of like you take a mechanic to a used car lot. I have had a few misgivings about my machine since I got it and it was pretty pricey. After this project, though, I must sing its praise. There were several points in the project where I had to sew through 10 layers of material. Two 4 layers of cotton fabric, 2 layers of cordurory, and 4 layers of thick interfacing. I could barely wedge it under the presser foot at times and yet my little machine sewed through everything flawlessly. I wasn't even using a heavy duty denim needle. I'm so proud of you little Bernina 1000! There are still a few little things it does that I'm not sure its supposed to do, but hey, if it can sew like that I'm not complaining anymore.

Update on the Sewing Project

I've never photographed a project from start to finish. It's kind of neat to see the pile of fabric become ordered and smaller as the project takes shape. So far I have all the individual pieces done and I just need to sew them all together. It will be a bit tricky because the pieces are bulky, but it's looking good.

Raw fabric and Spencer legs

Cut out pieces with labels

Finished individual pieces awaiting assembly

Eat Meat Sparingly

This is what I need to eat more of right now. My glucose test came back normal except for my iron levels, which are a little low. My OB said I should start taking an iron pill each day, two if my body can take it. The first one yesterday made me sick. I took today's pill with food and that went much better. I guess I just don't get enough protein. I'll have to tell Ben to start taking me out to more steak houses.

Pregnancy does have some perks. You get to fudge the Word of Wisdom and you don't have to fast. ;) We had a family night lesson on fasting this week. Lauren was curious what it was all about. We discussed ways she and I could participate in fasting since I can't skip meals and she is too young to skip meals. Things like being part of the prayers and eating simple meals without dessert and stuff like that. The next day we were heading to my doctor's appointment and a Dreyer's ice cream truck passed by. I commented how ice cream sounded really good. Lauren piped up that I couldn't eat ice cream right now. When I asked why not she said because we were fasting and ice cream is too fancy to eat while fasting. I then had to explain how we only fast one Sunday a month unless we have a special need come up and not all month long.

Music in Lauren's Brain

On Saturday we were running a few errands. Ben stopped at Best Buy to run in and get the weekly add while I waited in the car with the kids. We were in a large mall parking lot and there were speakers on the lights playing music. After a few minutes Lauren asked,

"Mom, do you hear music?"
"Yes."
"Where is it coming from?"
"The lights have speakers attached to them so you can listen to music while you shop."
"Oh. I thought I had a song stuck in my head and I didn't even know what it was."

Funny girl.

Pie

I'm not a huge pie fan, but I will say I'm a bit of a pie snob. I refuse to order apple pie at a restaurant or bakery. I've just never tasted a good one that wasn't made by either my mom or myself. Call me proud, but I think we use the very best recipe and it just tastes better.

Lauren has been learning about apple trees and Johnny Appleseed in school this past week and I craved a good piece of apple pie to herald the 'change' of season. So together we made one. It is delicious, but it won't live long I'm afraid.

Now don't get the idea that I never visit bakeries or desert menus for pie. I do. I just go for the cream pies because those I do not make very well. I get lazy and use a boxed pudding mix. I readily admit that bakery and restaurant cream pies are far richer and therefore, far superior to my own. I just feel guilty adding all that sugar and cream so I’d rather not know how much was actually used. Fruit pies are easy to justify especially if you make it yourself. The sugar is minimal and the butter sprinkled on top really doesn’t count. Wink, wink.

Favorite Apple Pie (really that is what it's called, mom will have to clarify where it comes from because I just copied it out of her recipe box)

6 large,tart apples

2 T flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown cugar

3/4 t cinnamon

1/4 t butmeg

1/8 t salt

1 T lemon juice

3 T butter

Peel and cut the apples into 16 slices each. Place in a pan with 1/4 cup cold water. Simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Fill pastry pan with apples. Combine remaining ingredients except lemon juice and butter and sprinkle over apples. Add the lemon juice over the top and dot with the butter. Add the top crust and cut vents in it. Bake at 450* for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350* and bake for 45 minutes.

Pastry recipe for 2 crust pie

2 c. flour

1 t salt

Mix together and then cut in 2/3 cup shortening until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add 4-5 T cold water and moisten. Divide in half. Roll out one half and place in empty pie pan. Add filling and then cover with rolled out remaining portion.

How to Potty Train a Boy

Potty training a boy is one of those things that you achieve but don't know how you did it. Spencer is almost competely potty trained and night times may be soon to follow and I have no idea how it happened.

I've been working with him since March with various incentives. Finally I realized that he and I were both too lazy to do pullups so I basically just put him in underpants all day long and took him to the bathroom and cleaned up any messes that happened. Last Friday was the worst day. He had an accident on the couch, in the car, at Lauren's school, in the bathroom at home, on the floor. . .I was so close to just throwing in the towel and putting him back in diapers that day.

I have been very inconsistent with Spencer's potty training (morning sickness, laziness, unmotivated etc) but fortunately I decided to stick with it that day. Now my insistence on underpants has paid off and Spencer has potty trained himself. Yesterday he went to the bathroom all by himself and I didn't even know he needed to go until I heard him washing his hands. He had done everything perfectly, except put his underpants back on.

This morning I woke up at 6 am to the sound of Spencer running into my bathroom, turning on the light and then coming to me in bed saying he needed to go pee. The only reason he didn't go himself was he couldn't undo the snaps on his PJs. I can tell now when he has to go because he has learned to hold it and does a little pee pee dance. Number 2 may still be a bit of work, but I'm so thrilled that he can do it himself and really all I had to do was make him wear underpants all day long. So there you go. You want to potty train a boy just make him wear underwear all day long and plan on cleaning up lots and lots of accidents.

Here is a video of Spencer talking about his underpants. Please excuse the gesture that he makes at the end. I didn't notice it until I watched the video on the computer, but it's so funny! If you have difficulty understanding, the two pairs of underpants he has on have Buzz Lightyear and WALL-E on them.

Lauren's New Haircut

Lauren really liked my hair and said she wanted her hair to be just like it. I was not confident that I could cut her hair that short and keep it even so I took her to the same salon to have her hair cut. It looks pretty cute and she's really happy with it. I'm happy too because now it is much easier to comb her hair in the mornings.

Happy Grandparents Day!!

Today is the official day for recognizing Grandparents. I only have one grandmother left and so does Ben, but today I would like to honor them for the love, comfort, and testimony they have imparted to me. I would also like to celebrate the four amazing grandparents that my children have.

Just disregard my eyes being closed. It was a bright day and I squint a lot.

My favorite quote about grandparents is by Charles and Ann Morse. "A child needs a grandparent, anybody's grandparent, to grow a little more securely into an unfamiliar world." I feel my children are so fortunate to have such wonderful grandparents to enrich their lives, fill them with love, and testify of truths. I only wish we lived closer to them so they could babysit more often. Just kidding. The world is a more wonderful and beautiful place because we have grandparents.

New Hair Do

It's been an entire year since my last hair cut. I got quite a bit cut off and then some layers around my face and in the back. I'm pretty pleased with it. When I came home Lauren said, "You look more like Aunt Eliza than like mommy." She likes it. Spencer isn't so sure. I'll post another one tomorrow after I've done my hair and actually put on makeup for church. On a side note, I think my mystery bruise is getting smaller.

Lauren's Kindergarten Picture

Today is just a busy blogging day for me. Actually it's hot and I don't want to do anything else right now. And I just noticed I have less than 100 days left! Woohoo!

Lauren got her first school pictures taken! She told me they had to take several shots of her before they got a good one. She tends to blink or squint for bright flashes. I was worried the picture would end up looking funny because they'd just give up and say 'good enough'. Actually I think it turned out quite cute and it is definitely Lauren. The picture reminds me a little of my sister Emma's school pictures.

Strange Bruise

Last night when I took out my contacts I noticed a really bizzare bruise right next to my right eye. I tried taking a couple pictures of it. I can't think of what would have caused a bruise right there. I'm the first to admit I'm a klutz. I have unaccounted bruises all over my legs and arms, but I think I'd know if I was jabbed in the eye with a pencil eraser. Ben said it looked like a wasn't getting enough sleep, which I'm not, but don't those marks appear under your eye? I've heard of women getting blotches of darker skin on the face during pregnancy, but this really has a purplish/bluish tinge. I expect it will turn green in a few days. Any ideas?

Latest Sewing Project

I picked out some fabrics today for a project I'm working on. I really liked the dragon print (it is called "tatsu"), but had a tough time finding something to go with it. I've decided I don't coordinate colors well. I can tell when something is absolutely awful, but that is about it. The black and red print is called "Kyoto Hollyhock" and I think they look nice together. We shall see if that holds true when I start sewing.

Someone was being a little stinker when I took the pictures.

Baby Link Hat

Lauren and Spencer are really into dressing up like Link and for my birthday I got a bunch of knitting supplies so I have been knitting Link items for the children. I've made hats and leg warmers and wrist warmers for them all as part of their Link costumes. They have all been good practice for when I make these items for myself.



Now that we have a baby on the way I thought it unfair that she not have a Link hat of her own. Here is the hat I finished for her. The colors do not scream baby girl, but I thought the yarn was cute and so soft. I didn't want to knit a Link hat out of typical baby yarn anyway. I'll have to knit a little bow or something to attach to it so people know we have a girl.

I've been trying the hat on my friend's baby's and Emerald my niece just to make sure I got the size right. I think it will be a bit big for a new born, but really cute up until about 3 months maybe, depends on what size head she has. If she's anything like Lauren and Spencer she'll outgrow the hat by two months.