I have decided that this blog has just about had it’s run of life giving posts. I will keep it open but probably not post.
I have a new blog and would love for everyone who reads here to hop on over and see what I am up to these days.
Oh I am still crafting and sewing but I am also doing a lot of cooking. The new blog is Italian Mama Chef . Please visit and let me know what you think. Thanks.
New blog
Bag in progress for my dear friend…
Showing the pieces even though they are not put together.
New purses and fall projects…
I made this very cute purse using the Phoebe pattern from Beki, artsycraftybabe and I am so pleased with it. It’s my own personal bag and fits my needs perfectly. It was simple to make and I learned how to do darts! I like the look of darts almost more than boxed corners!
Next up is another bag like this in blue corduroy and a cute print for the lining. And my aunt asked me to make her a purse using her graduation dress, or maybe it’s homecoming dress, either way it was made by her in like 1966 or something. That is when I was born!! lol…Here is the dress-
This is the lining material with the folded dress. I am so excited to make these cute bags.
Next up is some fall crafting for more friends and deciding on gifts for Christmas that I want to make. I am thinking felt food for Elizabeth and an I Spy quilt for Asher and Isaiah. Oh yeah, Brittany is expecting twins next May! We are all very excited about that bit of news. So happy fall crafting!
What has been eating at my blogging time?
For a change, it’s a good thing. I have been cleaning! Well not constantly but I am once again utilizing the Flylady methods to get on track. Between a very thought-provoking counseling session last month and Flylady, I decided it was time to pull up my big girl panties and get on with it!
I am now about 3 weeks into the routines and I am doing pretty good. I feel really good about myself and my home. I know my hubby is coming home each day from work knowing his home will be a welcoming place. I know my sons are enjoying the benefits as well even if they aren’t saying too much. Only once in the last 3 weeks have one of them asked me to wash their clothes because they were out of clean socks. One even took it upon himself to wash a load of clothes since he needed pants. I would say that is pretty good.
In between the cleaning I did a short stint in the hospital last week. I guess I am not taking care of my body like I should. The closest diagnosis they could give me is Irritable Bowel Syndrome. So I spent 3 days at the hospital and came home with medicines and instructions on how to eat better. I am also hypoglycemic and need to learn how to eat for that issue. I am planning on asking my primary care phys. for a referral to a nutrionist for some planning and counseling on these things. I just don’t know how to combine the three issues I have-lactose intolerant, IBS and hypoglycemia.
In other news, Lauren is now living with a new family as the live-in nanny. I truly hope this works out for her. I can’t say too much about it because I know she needs to do this and learn if it was a bad move on her part. It seemed like the only job God brought to her during her intense job search over the last few months.
My other daughter is expecting baby #3 and we are all very excited!!! We just love babies. They smell good and are fun to cuddle since my kids are too big to cuddle.
I have been busy playing on Facebook and my farm on Farmville. But I am trying to balance all my internet time with cleaning and personal growth time. So far I am doing ok. I can’t wait until I am doing great! Phil tells me every day how proud he is of me and the changes he sees. I guess I had to do it for myself for it to stick. That’s ok, like Flylady says ‘I am Finally Loving Myself!”.
Menu Plan Monday
Today is that day again, day to plan a menu. Visit Laura at organizing junkie for more menus and to post your own!
Hamburgers and hotdogs with roasted potatoes
Italian chicken with pasta
Elk stew with fresh bread
Dinner out one day this week
BBQ beef sandwiches
Sorry there aren’t any recipes this time around. It’s all basic stuff.
Tomorrow is party day…
Isaiah, my grandson, is going to be one year old tomorrow. We are having a big party. All of my family minus my brother is coming in from Pittsburgh and my daughter and her family will be here as well. I hope it will be a nice family visit as well as a fun party.
Lauren invited a bunch of friends and most of them offered to bring or make something for the food part. That is so nice and just the way people are around here. You don’t have to ask, they just do it. Good friends are hard to find and when you find them, keep them close.
Last night Phil’s boss took us, another couple from work, and 2 others out for an appreciation dinner for the hard work the guys have been doing lately. Phil was promoted to a supervisory role and it’s stressful because of the longer hours but he still likes his job. The dinner was at a posh seafood place here in our closest big city. The bill had to be easily $500 for the 7 of us since we had three courses and drinks. Whew. I was thinking how that is a percentage of what Phil makes a week and there is no way we could afford to go have dinner there on our own. The boss is very nice and easy going. It was easy to talk with him and the others. Of course I inputted (is that a word?) my one-liners to liven things up now and then. Overall it was a nice night out. I am so proud of my man!
So tomorrow will be a day for lots of picture taking. I will post some early next week. Lots of the babies!
Get me the smelling salts…
My daughter passed the GED test and is now an official high school graduate. What a long process and struggle with that one! Whew…
And my grand-daughter went poop on the potty. Yeah….
All this good news in one day, I don’t think I can take it! (Yes, I am being sarcastic.) I am happy for both girls and their good news. But I am still sad about a friend who is in the hospital and not doing very well today.
Sunday thoughts…
It’s been a quiet slow day here. I was going to sew but Phil said he worked enough this week for the both of us. So tomorrow night I will be back at it. I would work at my projects during the day but I have to meet up with Brit to get Jake back from her. He has been there since last week. It’s been quiet here without him and the chaos he can bring into the daily living of our lives. But we all miss him. I know that Elizabeth and Asher have totally enjoyed having Uncle Jake there to wrestle and play with all week.
Jack the doggie is feeling a bit better. He tried to get up on the recliner today but I kept him from doing that. He can’t balance on one leg to jump up. He did it last week but didn’t stay there long. He usually follows me around like a shadow. Sometimes he sneaks in the bathroom while I am showering and all I see when I am done is a black furball on the floor, because until I put on my glasses or contacts I am blind as a bat!
Caleb starts football this week. It’s all conditioning work though. It will be tough, I really don’t think he knows whats coming up. But we are also going to Cedar Point on Thursday with the youth group. Fun fun fun!!! I hope I can still handle some of the rollercoasters like I used to be able to do.
I am too lazy to click a few pictures but I finally found some red bottomweight material for a tote bag. I am lining it with a classy black and white floral cotton print. I will take the pre-cut pieces to a place to get the iron-on done then sew them up. These bags are for the Just Love fundraiser. If you don’t know what that is about, see the last post I put up. Or click here for a link to Internation Justice Misson to learn about slavery and sex trade in the world. IJM is working hard to free people, mostly children from slavery, most of it is in the sex trade industry. It’s awful that this still exists in our world.
