Maddie goes to the library

The Los Angeles County Public Library system was an integral part of my family when I was young.  I remember my Mom having to organize who was checking out which books based on what was currently still on our cards at home so as not to max out the fifty book lending limit per card.  As homeschoolers the library was really more an extended classroom  than just a fun place to go (although it was fun!).  We had a great children's librarian, and she actually ended up at the library closer to us after we moved (not really sure if we followed her or she followed us), so we had the same librarian for over a decade.  I volunteered (for the same librarian) for years, got a county library award (ahem, nerd alert) for it, spoke to a group of librarians about homeschooling, and worked at a library in my late teens.  I  know the Dewey decimal system like the back of my hand.  Once while playing Taboo with friends, another friend who worked at a LA County Library was able to get me to guess words by telling me where books on that subject were located in said Dewey decimal system (I am realizing more and more what a geek I really am as I type this).  I hated finding books at my university library because they didn't use Dewey and it messed with my head.  I digress . . .

Getting a library card is a rite of passage in our family.  Yesterday, Maddie, James, and I walked down to our little local branch on Alondra and got Maddie a card.  She was very excited by the library, and being able to take home books.  I had to sign her full name on the back of the card which was kind of odd, I only think I've written it out once or twice.  She even got a canvas book bag for opening an account, although next time I think she will use her My Friends Tigger and Pooh backpack because she loves it and can actually carry it.  Because she was (relatively) well behaved at the library we got mini donuts on the way home.

(Please excuse the quality of the pictures, they were taken on my phone . . . 

also, who knew that Yum Yum Donuts on Alondra and Pioneer is really, really nice inside?  Like, nicer than Starbucks . . .  they have granite!)

We read three of her books last night, several times each.  It cracks me up that she puts her finger to her mouth and says "shhhhh!" every time she asks for the Goodnight Sleepyhead book.

I am so proud of my little bookworm!

This lovely little story is called Maisy Goes to the Library, we have read it four times

Submission

Well, I have submitted Fitz and Lizzie to a publisher. I probably should have done it a year ago, but at least it is done now . . . another January goal down. We should know one way or the other in three months. I will strive to just forget about it for those three months . . .

Homeschool goodness

Brenda has a great blog called The Tie That Binds Us, she just moved it to a Wordpress blog and is giving away a bunch of yummy homeschool curriculum support materials.  Check out her new blog and enter her giveaway! 

Valentine's Give Away Alert!

Pat at Quilting Can Be Fun is having a Valentine's Giveaway!  Hurry over to sign up.  How cute is that monkey and yeah for Valentine fabric - I've been looking for some to use for outfits for the kiddos:

Cuteness overload

Two January goals down so far!  I had a garage sale this weekend before our huge week long rain storms hit.  I got rid of some stuff and managed to make a little money.  Still have a ton of stuff to get rid of, so we might have a second sale this weekend if the rain lets up.  Today we went to Target and got some official pictures of the babies!  They wore their Christmas outfits from Uncle Andy and we did some winter theme pictures as we didn't get any professional Christmas shots.  We also got some baby style pictures taken of James, and let me tell you - he is a ham!  Every picture was great, which makes it so hard to choose.  Every time the photographer called him handsome he would pose and smile!  I think I have a future entertainer on my hands!

Winter Pictures

My sweet Maddie princess, I honestly don't think she could be cuter

Look at this grin!  The gorgeous white blanket was made by my Mom.

Mommy is not going to fixate on the random piece of hair falling onto Maddie's forehead, really, I am not . . .

I love this picture because it looks like Maddie is sharing with her brother, and she often does, it just might not be quite true in this particular case

Jamie's Six Month Pictures

This blue blanket was also made by my Mom.  

You gotta love the chub!

I feel very accomplished that I have crossed two things off my list!  I have a few more in progress as well, so yay me!

It pays to play

When I worked at KayBee Toys (way, way back in the day, like over a decade ago now), I had a manager and some co-workers who always went in on lottery tickets.  They would always ask me to purchase one and my response was usually "Realistically, what are my odds of winning the lottery?"  My manager, Mac, would always reply "Better if you buy a ticket."  

Well, I "bought a ticket," so to speak, when I entered a bunch of online giveaways in November and December and I had some amazing luck.   I won several holiday items, as well this amazing book from a contest on Sew Mama Sew.  

My absolutely biggest score, however, was a $15 gift certificate to Jane's Fabrics ebay store (which I won through a giveaway on Sew Fantastic).  With my gift certificate I purchased three half yard cuts of the gorgeous Meadow Sweet line by Sani Henderson for Michael Miller.  When the package arrived I was floored to find out that Jane has included two more half yard cuts so I have all of these fabrics:

I am so jazzed!  I keep looking at them lovingly, but haven't decided yet what I am making with them.  Jane was so sweet . . . I encourage you to visit her blog and her shops on Etsy and ebay.

So, I suppose in the end, Mac was right, your odds are better if you buy a ticket!

2010 goals . . .

Well, now that I have actually completed my 2009 in review post I suppose it is time to think about 2010. . . yes, I know we are already two weeks into the new year, I am just a bit slow.

Here's the deal - my life is super unsettled at the moment, I can't even tell you where I will be living next month so I am going to make my goals for the year pretty short and then kind of do month by month goals.  That will allow me to modify my goals when we move, etc.  So here are my big goals for 2010:

1.  Submit my children's book manuscript to a publisher.

2.  The Catalina Marathon, I honestly don't see how this is going to happen, seeing as it's in 7 weeks and Liz and I have been off our training schedule for a few months.  But there it is.

3.  Read through the Bible - I have this goal every year, I have read Genesis so many times ;)  

4.  Start and Finish three quilts. 

5.  Christmas stockings for Maddie and James.

I will start my monthly goal list here - we are already halfway through January so it will be kind of short.

1.  Finish Maddie's coca-cola skirt.

2.  Get some official pictures of the babies.

3.  Add some length to the Zaney quilt to bring it closer to a twin size so he can grow with it.

4.  Submit F&L to a publisher.

5.  Have a garage sale and get rid of lots of stuff!

Here is to a great 2010!

2009 in review

When I think back on 2009 I tend to only think of all the stressful , unhappy things that have been going on . . . the economy tanking (not so great when you are a small business owner), financial issues, and our housing situation being up in the air . . . I was at first not going to do a year in review post, but when I really started thinking about it, we had a pretty amazing year! I guess it is all about perspective. So here is my month-by-month review of the awesomeness of 2009! ETA: This honestly turned out to be a much longer post than I originally intended (and there are lots of pictures missing, but I am posting anyway as it is getting a little too late into 2010 to still be doing 2009 in review posts). So glad I did it though, it has really been an exercise in perspective and thankfulness.

January

My wonderful husband, Ed, turns the big 40!

I make a seat cushion and pillows for my rocking chair, I also painted it black. This was one of my first sewing projects by myself. I had received my first sewing machine for Christmas and my Mom helped me make curtains while we were back east.

This uber cute picture of Maddie trying her first pineapple while watching the January premier of Psych earns her an honorable mention in the Psych fan picture contest and Season 2 on dvd . . . pic taken with my phone.

February

I finish my first (and to date only) Amish Knot rug, it looks great for a few months and then I ruin it by being overly-ambitious in the washing process . . . I learned a lot though - next time thicker fabric and thicker strips. Thankfully this was made with fabric I got in a bin on freecycle.

Maddie's first Valentine's Day, what a sweet pea.

Last but not least . . . on Valentine's Day Ed, Maddie, Liz, Daniel and I went in for a gender ultrasound and found out we were having a James!

March

Maddie stands!

I made some pants for my friend's son Zane.

April

Happy Resurrection Day! Maddie's first Easter! She got The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in her basket and a love affair was born!

I made this diaper cake for a friend's shower, my first one ever.

Maddie turns one and we have a huge birthday bash - complete with Daddy's band providing entertainment. It was quite a windy day, which is why the only pictures I have of her birthday sign some of the squares are flying about in spite of being stuck down with tape.

Maddie's birthday outfit (my first skirt of any kind since Junior Girl Scouts).

Maddie goes to Disneyland on her actual birthday.

May

Maddie takes her first step at Auntie Liz's house while Mommy and Daddy are out on a date seeing T4. I don't have pictures of course! But here is a picture of her walking a month or so later . . . it is an action shot!

We had some pretty maternity pictures taken at the beach. I made a skirt for me and a top for Maddie.

Mother's Day aprons for my Mom and Grammy.

We got 3d scans of James for my Mother's Day present.

June

We finished painting the nursery (not knowing we wouldn't be living here much longer, but I digress - at least they babies have a nice nursery while they are here), and they have this blessing from Aslan above their door: "Once a king or queen in Narnia, always a king or queen."

My "July baby" makes a surprise June appearance! James is caught by Auntie Liz as he makes a speedy entrance into the world! We then had to go to the hospital (boo!), but so glad that James was born at home!

Three days after James turns 0 I turn 30!

July

Well . . . July 4th happened . . . I have no pictures because we didn't do much for it! We were still coping with doubling the amount of babies in the house.

We did watch a lot of Angel's baseball though!

Oh . . . and we made it out of the house to a Carl's Jr!

August

I repurposed Maddie's Minnie Mouse high chair cover into a pillow that was meant to be for the floor, but she now sleeps with it every night. Shockingly it washes really easily.

I actually made out of the house and to Walmart with both babies by myself, aren't these shopping carts awesome? It was on this mad dash to Walmart before church on Sunday that Maddie acquired the infamous pink Pooh sneakers. This is also on the way to Jamie's first day at church. She does actually love her brother more than it appears in this picture. . . and one of Daddy and Jamie for Jamie's first day!

Liz and I decided to start training to walk a marathon (we had a month and half off there at the end of 2009, but we are now back on the wagon) follow us at Walking Away With Ourselves.

September

Maddie got a hair cut!

We took the kids to their first Angel's game, we adopted a Rally Monkey to bring home so we could unleash the power of the monkey while we watched games at home. . . there are pictures but they are currently on my old hard drive . . .

We also went to the LA County Fair, Maddie's second and Jamie's first. While there Maddie rode a pony called Dr. Pepper.

James made it to Disneyland for his first visit. He was so good!

October

James ate his first solid food! Avocado! Maddie helped him prepare for his first bite by hugging him around the neck.

Halloween - James was Mike Wazowski and Maddie was Boo, both from Monster's Inc. I made the Mike costume the night before, nothing like being prepared.

November

My Mom visits!

James gets baptized!  There are pictures . . . just not here

My good friend Sarah gets married, I am a bridesmaids and do the flowers. I also made her an apron, the same fabric as the ones for Mom and Grammy. The picture of all the bridesmaids (the girl in black stood on the groom's side actually) is of our "sexy face" bridesmaid's picture.

Thanksgiving (only a few pictures on my phone! oops!)

December

Ed and I celebrate our 8th anniversary on the 21st with dinner at The Grand Californian Hotel at Disneyland . . . we walk into Disney to buy Maddie's Winnie the Pooh at Pooh Corner, and make an unsuccessful attempt at locating a Mike Wazowski for James (again with the no pictures)!

So many projects completed during December. . .

Christmas!

So, in review, I think we had a pretty darn good year . . .