Redondo Twirly Skirts

I can finally sew with a pattern! Tia bought me the pattern for the Redondo skirt, which is a super twirly girly skirt. I've been admiring the ones the other mamas have made and I knew my girls would love them! It took me about a month before getting the courage to trace, cut and sew.

I made Alaina hers first. I used a butterly fabric with a coordinating flower fabric. I just sewed this one...but Anna's and Angelina's were serged together, which gives it a more professional look, and it doesn't fall apart at the seams :) Enjoy the pics!

Matt received an award

All the kids are promoted to the next grade. Matt had an end of the year party as well as an awards ceremony a couple of days before the last day of school. We are so proud of him. He did so well in 2nd grade is really excited about going into 3rd grade. Here are some pictures of Matt and his award and him with his best friend Eddie :)

Krista's New outfit

I've found a new hobby...like I need another one, but it just blends in with what I already love to do. I've discovered the art of dying yarn. It's so much fun seeing the colors I can create. I start out with either white or natural color wool and just use food coloring to dye it. The process is pretty easy too.

So, I dyed some yarn in the middle of last week. It came out beautiful bright shades of pink, orange and yellow, perfect for the summer. I also dyed a smaller coordinate skein in the pink that's in the yarn. Well, I was hanging out laundry and got to a shirt we picked up for Krista at a garage sale last weekend and discovered the yarn I just dyed would match perfectly!!! So, I knit her up a skirtie to wear over her cloth fitted diapers (diapers that need a cover). There is a panty style soaker under the skirt. It came out adorable. Here are some pics of the yarn cooking, yarn with the shirt and her wearing the outfit.

I also wanted to mention that everyone's first thought is "wool is just so hot". Actually, wool that's been handknit with breathes and is not hot at all. It's super absorbant and is not heavy like the wool sweaters that people automatically think of. Enjoy the pictures :)

Time is flying

Krista is 7 months old already! I can't believe how fast the time is flying by. Within the past week, she started crawling (regular crawling instead of the "commando army crawl"), pulling herself up to standing and she's coasting on the furniture a little bit. She's also enjoying different foods. She loves her veggies and fruit, I gave her some of our peas and carrots one night and she LOVED them. She also had yogurt yesterday and couldn't get enough.

The kids are enjoying their summer vacation. At night, we try to get to the river beach with my girlfriend and her kids. They all have so much fun playing together!! Here are some pictures :) Krista's 7 mos pics, Anna on the last day of school and Matt & Nina on field day.

Krista's New Swim Suit

I was involved in a "traveling" box swap a couple of months ago on a diaper sewing message board I belong to. The first person would fill a flat rate box full of stuff, mail it to the first person on the list, they would take out what they wanted, put more stuff in the box and mail it to the next person, and so on. It was awesome.

Anyway, I found this lycra PUL fabric (pul is a waterproof diaper fabric)...which would make a great swim diaper. I sent it to Tia because she said she would make a swim diaper for Krista. Well, her imagination took off, and she made this gorgeous, super cute swim suit for the baby :) She also made a surprise for me, a knitting needle roll. It's beautiful and now I have a place, other than a basket to store my needles in.

We Miss You Beau

We got Beau 2.5 years ago. We were dog sitting for my brother in law...He and his daughters were taking a trip to Florida, so we happily took Beau. When Mark came to pick him up, Beau didn't want to go, stuck his nose up in the air and went to lay down in the corner of the living room. We've had him ever since. Yeah, he was a pest at times, but we loved him. We took care of him. He wasn't very playful, after all, at that time, he was 16. I took him to the vet, and other than being an "old man", needing a good dental cleaning and having some arthritis in his hind legs, he was a healthy dog.

I took him to the vet this past January. His arthritis had gotten alot worse, and he started dry heaving. He was still pretty healthy though, for a dog his age. His health just started to deteriorate. His back legs started to give out frequently, causing him to fall down our 2 little steps we have on our side porch. Sometimes he couldn't get up the step into the kitchen, his legs would give out. The dry heaving got worse. His breathing when he came in from outside was horrible, it sounded as though he had emphysema. He couldn't see. The cataracts I'm sure had made him completely blind, as he bumped into everything. It was very painful to see.

Yet he was so loyal to us. He loved us as much as we loved him...I just know it. He was pesty at times, bugging us for food when we had dinner, refusing to eat his own. Being unable to see, he was always bumping into me as I was trying to cook dinner, not a good thing when I was carrying a hot pan or hot food. He was a very good dog, who loved being pet, hugged and kissed.

I talked with my husband about having him put to sleep. His quality of life was just so poor, but it seemed as though he would shut down and not want to talk about it, so I feel like this was a decision I had to make all on my own. The other night, I asked him if he had any objections to me calling the vet and making an appt. He was only worried about the cost, but wouldn't talk much.

Yesterday, it was a miserable, rainy day. The kids were very good though, they kept the fighting to a minimum, and actually played nice together. So, I called the vet in late morning and made our appt. I was very upset, but knew I had to do this for Beau. He just had to be hurting, after all, he would sporadically just cry in his sleep. It totally broke my heart.

Not long after I made the appt, the sky cleared and the sun came out. I took it as a sign from God that I was making the right decision for our beloved pet. I talked to the kids after lunch, and we shared stories, I answered their questions, and we shared lots of tears. I made Beau a meal he loved...hamburger! He ate two hamburgers and then some cheese quesadillas I made for supper.

We took him to the vet. Angelina, Anna, Allie and Alaina wanted to go. My mom came with us as well. I know there are people that would have a problem with children being present, but it's all a part of the cycle of life. I wasn't going to deny them wanting to be with him when he passed. It was a very peaceful process. I held him, the kids loved him and hugged him and we all cried as he took his last breath. I hope he knew how much we really loved him.

We are all taking it pretty hard. I'm very sad. I know in my head and heart that I made the right decision for him, but I still feel like this horrible person, who was trying to play God. My heart aches in a way it hasn't before. I feel like the weight of the world is sitting on my now. The kids are taking this very hard as well. They miss him terribly. We are going to get some flowers, a tree or something and plant a little garden in Beau's memory. He's my first pet that I had as a grown up, and he was our first and only family pet.

I know my hubby is hurting too, although he won't admit it. Every night we do a "circle time" with the kids, where we pray and then talk or do fun things. They will take turns reading a bible story, or we will play quiet games like question and answer. He didn't want to participate in our circle time last night, he "wasn't in the mood". I pray for my husband that he can come to terms with Beau's death. I think he loved Beau more than he wants to admit.

Anyway, here are some pictures that Matt took of Beau yesterday, and one I took of him and Beau together.

Birthdays Birthdays Birthdays

I can't believe another year has gone by already. Time is just flying so so fast!!! So, I worked out a trade with a gal on the diaper sewing message board. I knit her a pair of shorts for her son and she made me 6 hairbows, 2 each for the girls for their birthday. I also got some elastic, tulle and ribbon and made them tutu's. They are going to love them! Here's a couple of pictures of Allie and Krista. I wish my camera would hold a charge, everytime I go to take a picture, the battery is dead. So frustrating!! In any case, enjoy the pictures :)

New Outfits from Old Clothes

Well, not old clothes, but gowns that Krista has outgrown. I chopped them and was able to get a shirt and skirt out of a couple and a dress from another :) Krista is sleeping now and wearing the green one.

1st Holy Communion

Well, yesterday was the big day. Matt made his first Holy Communion. I got all teary eyed, he did great! He was so mad that he had to wear a suit, but other than that, it was a great day. He looked so handsome. He was even singing during the mass :) Enjoy the pictures :)

Kids Kids Kids

Here are some great pictures of the kids...enjoy!! Not much to report...just busy as always LOL. Matt makes his first Holy Communion on Saturday. We are busy getting ready for it :)

More Knitting and Diapers

Here are some pictures of recent knitting and diapers :) The Skirtie is the latest hit :) :)

The melon color one was hand dyed to match a gymboree clothing line :) The lavender one is called Lavender fields. These are so much fun to make. Also, a hand knit skirtie and tank top.

My newest diapers I made are all in ones...longer drying time, but no more stuffing.