Girl jeans to boy shorts

What do you do when your daughter grows out of her jeans and your son is almost ready for that same size?  Pass them down, right?  But wait,  what should you do if there are thick, purple butterfly appliques at the bottom of the legs . . . too thick to cover with some fancy boy faux cuffs?

(Warning: more low-light iphone pics ahead)

Why, turn them into shorts of course!  Luckily, we live in California!

Maybe someday I will get pinking shears that work, that would be great on this hem . . . or I could get a Serger . . . ah, a girl can dream can't she?

I made them a bit long because I thought "There is no way my 8 month old is going to fit in these 24 month size jeans, (which being from Walmart run large), even if he is in 18 months currently."

I

Was

Wrong

Look everyone, a little mini "fan boy"

So, his jeans shorts are too long to be "shorts" and too short to be "bermuda shorts," but he is cute nonetheless.  

Whatever happened to February?

It's half way through March!  I don't have a lot of goals for March because we are moving next week, but I realize I never wrapped up February . . .

Um, I don't think I met any of my goals except making my Mom's birthday present.

But Valentine's Day happened, and the kids got cards, just not the cute home sewn ones . . . but there is always next year

And even though it wasn't on my list I sent F&L to three more publishers, so that is an accomplishment!  Here are the kids at Peris (formerly Spiers, oh clever, you see how they did that?) after walking to Staples to get F&L and some cover letters printed:

She had the kid's spaghetti.

He had a little bit of everything off our plates.

And we took this picture of the trees outside Cerritos College on our way back home.  Can you believe my first semester there was Spring 1996?  I was only 16, but still, wow.

Honestly, we didn't get much done in February.  Oh well.

Dumbo tshirt skirt

I found this lovely tutorial for a toddler ruffle skirt from an adult tshirt by Abby from Sew Much Ado.  I love this tutorial!  This skirt was so easy to make, which is a blessing because I used it as a break from the Coca-Cola skirt I am making for Maddie which is making me want to throw my sewing machine out the window.  I needed a fun, easy, complete-able project to restore my sanity.

I used this old tshirt of mine, I got it at Disneyland ages ago, and I am pretty sure the last time I wore it was to Disneyland for my birthday almost four years ago.  How cute is Dumbo? 

The problem with this shirt is that it is black in the back, and therefore I wasn't able to get the appropriate amount of strips of the front color for two full ruffles, so I added in some black . . . unfortunately there is a black on black strip in the middle of the colored ruffle in the back, so from far away it looks like the ruffle just sort of ends on Maddie's butt.  Had I been thinking it through more I would have put more of the black in the front, but I was focused on getting the words "Walt Disney's" in the center top ruffle.  Oh well, also Timothy's head and the top of one of Dumbo's eyes ended up in the waist band, I still think it's stinking adorable.

I think it took me about an hour all told (a little bit late last night and some today).  Maddie loves it!  She twirled all around the back yard.

I see many more of these in my future!

And some Jamie pics for your viewing pleasure, aren't you lucky?  Really, could he be any cuter, and check out how blue that sky is?  There is nothing prettier than Southern California the day after it rains.

Sweet Tea Dress Give Away

There are only a few more hours to enter this awesome give away of aPillowcase dress from Sweet Tea Dresses at Sprinkles.

Where I so lucky to win, I'd pick this lovely little number:

Gorgeous, right?

So, hurry on over to Sprinkles and enter!

Spring (Training) Fever

Major League Baseball's Spring Training has begun, and the Angels played their first spring training game yesterday in Tempe, AZ!  We watched the game on Fox Sports West and brought out the hats and Rally Monkey.  We also had homemade nachos on our Angels Chip and Dip plate.

Here are my little Halos:

Maddie relaxing after her ice cream from the ice cream "yuck" (truck), the scary thing is that at 22 months she has a better throwing arm than anyone I know and applauds when Angels pitchers throw strikes or Angels batters get hits.  Me thinks she is a baseball genius.  (And no it's not Halloween, she just wears her Halloween shirt for pjs now).

Cutie patootie, I realize it's kind of inappropriate that he is wearing a Salem, Mass sweatshirt (from Uncle David and Aunt Brit) with his Angles hat . . . All I can say is we are going to kick you butt John Lackey - you and the Sox get ready for another sweep baby ;)

Jamie wants my hat!

And out comes the monkey!  Jump around!  Jump around!

Daddy's homemade nachos, yum!

And before you say it Tor, yes, I know I am funny when I'm in rabid fan mode.

Martyrs and Thieves

I am so excited that Jennifer Knapp is coming out with a new album.  I love her music, I love her lyrics.  I think the best concert I ever went to was her acoustic set at a Spirit West Coast in the late 90s.  It was insanely amazing.  I can listen to one of her cds and feel like I am having a worship service wherever I am.

Here are the lyrics to one of my favorite songs (truthfully, I think all of her songs are my favorite).  I'd link you to a video of this song if one existed online, but all I can find are covers.  Make sure to check out the new music on her site though, some samples and videos!  Excited!

Martyrs and Thieves

There's a place in the darkness that I used to cling to

It presses harsh hope against time

In the absence of martyrs there's a presence of thieves 

Who only want to rob you blind 

They steal away any sense of peace 

Though I'm a king I'm a king on my knees 

And I know they are wrong when they say I am strong 

As the darkness covers me

So turn on the light and reveal all the glory

I am not afraid 

To bare all my weakness knowing in meekness

I have a kingdom to gain 

Where there is peace and love in the light, in the light 

Oh I am not afraid 

To let Your light shine bright in my life, in my life 

There are ghosts from my past who've owned more of my soul

Than I thought I had given away

They linger in closets and under my bed

And in pictures less proudly displayed

A great fool in my life I have been

Have squandered till pallid and thin

Hung my head in shame and refused to take blame

For the darkness I know I've let win

Can you hear me?  Can you hear me? 

Well I've never been much for the baring of soul

In the presence of any man

I'd rather keep to myself all safe and secure

In the arms of a sinner I am

Could it be that my worth should depend

By the crimson stained grace on a hand

And like a lamp on a hill Lord I pray in Your will

To reveal all of You that I can

There's a place in the darkness that I used to cling to

It presses harsh hope against time...

Wordless Wednesday - Narnia Nursery