"Yucky Dress!"

Last night I whipped up a dress I've been planning for Charlie. It was my first attempt at smocking, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out and how much fun it is to do!




This morning I showed it to Charlie, who promptly and adamantly said "Yucky dress! Yucky dress!" I've heard similar sentiments before in regards to both dresses and things I've made her, so I try not to take it too personally. . .but come on! I just made it for her and she says she doesn't like it? I could have been sewing for myself then.

However, I took the high road and didn't make a big deal about it and just set it aside. When she woke up from her nap I pulled it out as the family was all getting together and I thought it would look cute, but still be cool enough for playing outside. After a few tears, which strangely, happens fairly regularly no matter what it is we're putting on her, the dress was on and she was cute.



When we got home and were getting Charlie ready for bed, I was in the process of putting the dress away and she says "I like that dress."

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What?! My 2 year-old just said she liked something I made her? Can this be? So, just to be sure, I asked her if that was what she said. She said "yeah" and then to be really really sure, I asked her if she'd like to wear it again sometime and still the answer remained affirmative! Glory, hallelujah, I'm not sure what happened, but believe me when I say, that made my night. I know that I needn't take anything negative she says too seriously, but still, for her to just offer up, without prompting, that she likes a dress, well, there's no better compliment.

Now hopefully she'll like the Fourth of July version of the dress that I'm currently making for her, Peyton and their cousin! (That's not too much to ask, Right?)

More camping pictures

I had a lot of pictures that I really liked, but didn't want to make one gigantic post, so here are a few more:

Charlie loved seeing the cows, horses and sheep around the area. Right next to the camp grounds where we were staying was a farm that had cows. Charlie made friends with a little 4-year-old girl in a neighboring campsite. It was so cute to watch Charlie try and straddle the fence like she was or hang from the highest beam. I had to keep reminding her that she was shorter.
However, my favorite quote of the weekend came from that little girl while we were watching the cows

"Those are my favorite kind of horses!"









We took more shoes on this trip!! I think we each had AT LEAST 3 pairs along. Charlie won though with 6 pairs. I thought it would be wise to be prepared for anything. At least her shoes are small. . .

Camping over Memorial Day Weekend

We took advantage of the long weekend and decided to take Charlie on her first camping trip.



Granted, we cheated a bit and stayed in an older pop-up camper that I somehow inherited from my parents (Thank You!) but still, a 2 year old without a microwave?! We're brave. (OK, so it wasn't that big of a deal)



I feel like I just watched Charlie get older over the weekend though. She tested herself and found she could do it, whatever "it" was!

She played on the playground equipment without Nate or I hovering nearby to make sure she didn't fall as she climbed up or catch her at the bottom of the slide and would watch all the "bid kids" and do just what they were doing.



She put her hand in a waterfall




Walked across a swinging rope bridge! (on a different day from when this photo was taken)



We even decided to take a fairly long hike with her, fully expecting to have to carry her the entire way as we had tried a shorter hike the day before with very little success.



(in her defense, it was pretty close to nap time when we tried it.)



To our surprise, on our second try she wouldn't let us carry her! She hiked a little over a mile in and most of the way out.
And she didn't take the easy route. She always went straight for the rocks and the roots that were sticking up. She was fearless!!
(Unfortunately, because I thought I would have my hands full with a 2 year old, I did not take my camera along for that hike!! always happens like that, doesn't it?)



We even took her canoeing on our way home (but didn't think my camera would be safe in a very tip-able canoe!)



When did she get so big and brave? Where did my little baby go? I feel like I turned around and all of a sudden I had this little girl living at my house. It's fun to watch her grow and test herself, but I miss the part of her that will never be again. I look at Peyton (who can crawl now, as of yesterday!) and am realizing how short of a time they are babies. Right now, her kisses are the wet, mouth open, laughing the whole time, kisses. And while they're kind of gross. . .they're also sweet and endearing.
I think being a Mom is a game of tug-of-war on the emotions. Wanting them to grow and gain independence, but also wishing they could stay little and dependent on you forever. It's nice knowing someone needs you more than they need anyone else.

Have a great weekend!

We are taking Charlie on her first ever camping trip!! I'll return early next week with LOTS of pictures!

Roller Blades: 1; Me: 0

In an attempt to get in shape and thus be able to keep up with my 2 year old, I've been trying to walk during my lunches on a portion of trails running along the nearby river, referred to as the Greenway.



The other day, I had the brilliant idea of roller blading the trail instead of walking.

So yesterday, I pulled on my dusty rollar blades, considered my options as far as the direction I should take: Right would take me through a bit of the rolling park, over some small bridges, and past a golf course.



Left would lead me to the river, over the pedestrian bridge, down a cork screw of death and then on to a level path through trees and sweet smelling honeysuckle.




When in tennis shoes, I go left, but on roller blades, well that cork screw of death seemed a little ambitious, so I went Right.

Only what looked like nice rolling hills in shoes, wasn't so nice and rolling. (Perhaps the sign should have clued me in!!)



I started down my first "little hill" and found myself quickly picking up speed. I applied my brake, only it wasn't working so well at that decline. . .and was rapidly becoming faced with a decision. At the bottom of this hill was a bridge.



Logic told me that if I attempted the bridge at my current speed while still feeling completely unsteady on the wheeled contraptions strapped to my feet, there was a very big chance that I would fall. To the side of the trail was grass. . .I chose the grass. And the grass gave me some pretty good and surprisingly painful bruises.
Makes me glad I didn't choose the bridge!



Oh,and just so you know. Today, I'll be walking.

I've become obsessed, again.

About 8 years ago I often found myself sitting in bookstores, drinking coffee and pouring over magazines. At the time, a favorite was Rolling Stone. Coldplay's song Yellow had recently hit the radio with great success and in my readings that day I found a very small blurb about them and a band that they themselves loved: Elbow.

I love discovering new music, so I quickly headed over to the music department of the bookstore and bought up the disc. I loved it right away! Mellow and moody. Only a select few even knew about them. Amongst my musician friends, I felt like I was the owner of a rare jem.

Sometime in the last year and a half, I got ahold of their two latest albums, but for whatever reason, never really listened to them even though I would listen to the first. Then a few weeks ago, Meg at Whatever posted a video of this band and song that has been her favorite for the last 3 months. I was surprised to find that it was Elbow and even more shocked that someone, from no-where Kansas no-less (sorry Meg!), knew about them!!!

After listening to the song she had posted, I quickly opened my iTunes and started playing the 2 albums that had been sitting dormant on my computer. I couldn't believe that I had had this at my disposal for so long and hadn't even bothered to listen to it. Needless to say, I am hooked, again. Especially to this song. Sort of an anthem to start your day.



It's looking like a beautiful day!!

Trip to the zoo

This weekend we spent a lot of time sitting on our porch watching the rain. It's been doing that a lot lately.

Luckily though, Sunday was wonderful! Cool and sunny. Perfect for the zoo. Charlie requested that we see the elephants first.

Usually we don't go into the petting zoo portion, Nate thinks it's gross and disease infested. He's right, but I guess now that Charlie is old enough to enjoy the animals, he's decided it's worth the risk. So we made our first venture in to pet the goats!! Charlie even got to brush them. She was pretty fearless!





I really liked this guy's face.


It's funny, when introducing new animals, we found ourselves relating them to books that we read to Charlie.
"This is a Llama, Charlie! Like in Llama, Llama, Mad at Momma!"

The other fun thing about the zoo: Cool flowers!



Also, last week I received my fabric from QuiltHome.com complete with a personalized note.
How often does that happen??

Over the weekend I was able to knock out 2 skirts (one of which I'm wearing right now!), but until I get pictures up, I'll let the anticipation build by sharing some of the fabric with you!!

I've been tagged. . .

I don't normally get involved with stuff like this, but as my good friend from high school, Shelly, thought of me for this, I can't really be a party pooper, now can I?

So here are the rules...

The tag is ALWAYS & NEVERS : list "5 always-es" (things you always like or cannot do without) for you personally & conversely, list "5 nevers" (things you would not be caught dead in) for you personally • then tag 3 bloggers

A L W A Y S

1. Flip flops—although as of last summer, I graduated to leather sandal versions from cheap rubber. I'm an adult, right?
   
2. A pony tail, or at the very least, have a pony tail holder nearby.
   
3. Diet Coke. I have tried and tried to quit, but as soon as my OB/GYN told me I could still drink a little bit of Coke during my first pregnancy, I knew there would never be a reason big enough to get me to quit.
4. Nose ring. Never ever take it out, not something I really changeButy to go with my outfit, so um, it just says there. If you've never seen me in person, you might not have even known I have my nose pierced. . .in fact it took a guy I work with over a year to realize it. . .Even talked to him daily. Go figure.
5. Burt's Beeswax. I have it all over the house, at work, in my purse, in the car, next to my bed, in my coat pockets (waiting for next winter). EVERYWHERE.
   

N E V E R

1. Uncomfortable shoes. I look at pretty shoes, and wish I could wear them, but just can't bring myself to it.
   
2. Shorts. Although I did just buy a pair. I figure I've got kids and we're going to be playing outside, camping, hiking, etc. A skirt just isn't going to be able to do the job ALL of the time.
   
3. Fish-net stalkings. I know there for awhile they were "the thing" but I don't think you'll ever see me jumping on that trend. I come from a very conservative background and some things just don't go away (despite the nose ring!)
4. A polo shirt. Unless is it mandatory for some work related thing (which I still doubt, cuz I can't imagine ever working for a company that might require me to wear a polo on any occasion) you will not ever see me in one.
   
5. A Mini-Van. I'm really really hoping it never comes to that!!!! :) (hopefully, if it does, I'll do it gracefully)
   

Gearing up for the weekend!

I've been able to cut out patterns to my little heart's content over the couple of days. . .which means this weekend, hopefully, I'll be spending some time at my sewing machine!

Wanted to share with you some of the pictures I took last weekend of the girls on Mother's Day. I think I got a few that turned out quite nice! Just wish I had gotten some of the girls together. Unfortunately, Charlie was a little too interested in feeding the ducks to be bothered with taking pictures with her sister. Maybe next time?









Hope you all have a great weekend! I'm hoping for a trip to the zoo!

Flapjacks with Charlie

Last Saturday morning, Charlie and I found ourselves alone for breakfast. Peyton was asleep and Nate was out getting us our new picnic table. So, as a special treat (just as much for me as her!) I decided to make flapjacks with her.



The recipe is out of an old family cookbook and was submitted by my great-grandma. I have no idea how far back it goes, but I like the idea of eating something that my grandma had as a little girl. Plus, my brother and I thought these were the greatest when we were growing up. We'd make stacks and stacks of these things! (I do know for a fact that he still does. . .)

The recipe is REALLY simple:

1 cup flour
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
milk to make the batter thin



mix all ingredients and pour just enough to thinly cover the bottom of a hot skillet.



once the edges start to turn brown, flip and finish cooking on other side.



stack all the flapjacks on a plate, cut into fourths, roll and serve dipped in sugar.



I haven't had these in forever! I'm so glad I made them with Charlie. I think she liked dipping the yummy little rolls and enjoyed "helping" make her breakfast.