Sweetness

Hey!  How was your week?
Mine was pretty good.

We started out with a visit to Grandma and Grandpa N on Monday, and that is always nice.  We did most of the puzzle that we recently gave to them...but we left the really hard part, so it's ok.

On Thursday I went to what is called a Key Communicators Meeting.  It's something that our school district does.  Usually it's a presentation with a breakfast spread, and it's at different schools each month.  They want two people from each school in the district, so sometimes I'm one of the people from my school.  Anyhow, this time was actually more of a discussion format to aid in creating an Equality Policy.  I had been dreading it, because I don't generally like to share my opinions in a big group.  Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it.  I did share my opinions, and I enjoyed hearing the comments of others.  It was all great.  But the interesting thing was hearing some of the stats.

• 90 different languages are spoken in the homes of students in the district!  I don't even think I can name that many languages!
• Our district is 50% at or below poverty level
• According to the principal of the school that was hosting this month: 92% of her disciplinary work is dealing with kindergartners.  She said that it's vastly different from even 10 years ago.  She attributes it to too much screen access at a young age, which inhibits person-to-person relationships & learning to manage personal emotions.

Ok, anyhow.  Later that night I went to a cookie tutorial night, where we watched "Alison's Cookie Party" about how to decorate cookies.  It was perfect timing because the invitations to Chick's Baking Party were going to be on cookies!  The tutorial had a lot of good information for a newby like me (I may have used royal icing once before....), but the best part of the evening was sitting around after the video and chatting with friends.  It's so nice to get out and visit with other women!  Thanks for hosting, Brooke!!

On Friday my sister was in town, so I broke my vow to stay away from the Goodwill Outlet so that I could show it to her (I did tell Mr. Fox that I was going to break my word...somehow that makes it better).  I ended up getting more than intended, but anyhow....  One of the things that I found was this painting. 

It's pretty rare that I find artwork that I like at thrift stores.  Rare as in: it's never happened that I can recall.  But I did like this one a lot (Despite Mr. Fox's response of: "What is it?  I only see dabs and squiggly lines").  It had a black scrape on it, but I was able to wash it off when I got home, and now it's as good as new.  And the best part is that it cost me $1.30!  Yay!  Also on that shopping trip: brand new looking ballet slippers for my little ballerina's (they had outgrown some, so we only had one pair that fit, and I needed to get another pair)...for 12 cents.  Seriously.  $0.12, and they were like new and just the right size.  Such a nice, unexpected blessing.

On Friday night, after a really delicious dinner of burritos/ taco salad with homemade tortillas, Mr. Fox and Moose went to watch a hockey game where our school choir was singing.  The girls had a movie night at home, and I worked on the cookie invitations.  I'll admit that they aren't perfect (and for some reason I HAD been expecting perfection despite having never really worked with royal icing)...but I was happy enough with how they turned out.  I'm planning to do some practicing in the upcoming months.  (The tray of little cookies were for my Young Womens class at church).

(Before adding the written info)

(These were all experimental, trying out different techniques and ideas)

Saturday was ballet class for the twins, and then HOURS of driving around to deliver the invitations.  It's nice that Chick gets to meet new people because of her schooling situation, but between her school classmates and her church classmates we had to drive for such a long time.  But they are all out now, and I need to hussle along with the aprons!

Today I was released from my calling at church.  I've been in Young Womens (the teen girls group) for over three years, and the past almost two years of that was as beehive advisor (teaching the 12-13 year old girls).  I'm sad to not be in there with them anymore, but it's time for a new adventure.  I'll tell you the new calling next week, when it's official.

Lastly, I'm getting ready to update the PTO bulletin board at school.  It is going to be "Favorite Books on our Shelfies" featuring some of the school teachers, staff, student leadership, etc posing in a selfie with their favorite kids book.  So here's mine:

Of Books, Vintage Sheets, and Other Happinesses

Hey!  So you know the table runner and faux flowers, etc that I wrote about last week?
I did nada. 
Well, I found a milk bottle on Buy Nothing that I'm going to paint and use as a vase, but I haven't picked it up yet.  And that is all that I did.

But what I HAVE done has been pretty fun.  I've started gearing up for Chick's birthday party that will be at the start of February!!  You know how much I love to prep for parties!!!!!
Anyhow, it will be a cake decorating party...nothing too elaborate, but the girls will all get to decorate their own little cakes to take home.  And the fun part for now: they'll each get their own apron made out of vintage sheets.  Actually, some sheets may not be vintage...I don't know dates for them, you know.  But some are vintage, because they are the same sheets that I had growing up!!  (not the same exact sheets, but the same pattern.   You know.)  It has been super fun to scour the thrift stores for cool sheets.  And what I don't use for aprons will be used for EASTER DRESSES for my girlies!!  yay, I'm excited!!

Anyhow, I drew my own pattern based on an illustration that I found online.  They are no-tie cross-backed aprons.  I've just about gotten them all cut out, and the first test apron is done and ready.  Here it is:

Stay tuned for the rest...hopefully I can get 11 more aprons done in time!  (It totally sounds do-able, but it is amazing how the rest of my life can get in the way of these fun projects).

Ok, also this week was a trip to the library to pick up an obscene amount of books that were on hold for us (I think it was 25, but I also had books checked out already).  It is a big job keeping these kids supplied with books.  Chick is currently working on reading Newbery & Sasquatch award books for school.  Monkey and Moose both read whatever they can get their hands on.  All three kids are voracious, and Mr Fox and I have to be kind of mean about taking away books when we find post-bedtime reading (which happened a lot last week).

Anyhow, with all of this demand for books, I've come across some good series, and thought I'd share.

Monkey's latest series are: Emily Windsnap, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and The Cupcake Diaries.

Moose is currently devouring A to Z Mysteries (and Monkey is re-reading them...that probably is her favorite series ever, so far).  Moose is also reading Geronimo Stilton, Boxcar Children, Magic Treehouse, Kingdom of Wrenly, and we are trying out the Owen Foote books.

Our read-aloud is The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket (We are reading these before we can watch the new shows that are/will be on Netflix).  We aren't very far into it yet.

On CD we are listening to The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo (who I totally love)...it's an interesting one!  Lots of repetition...feels like a dream-like poem, and it's excellently read.

Also this week was a fun evening out with my friend, Kary.  I don't get out much, so that was fun.
 
And I watched Thoroughly Modern Millie, which I haven't seen in a long time.  It was fun to watch again.  I don't remember it having so very MANY innuendos, but maybe the last time I watched it I was too unsullied to recognize them??

I also went to the Goodwill Outlet a couple of times.  Have I mentioned that I'm feeling a bit like a compulsive shopper lately?  I did have the excuse of needing to find sheets and a vase....  Anyhow, I had a really good time.  The Outlet is a crazy shopping experience: everything is in huge carts and you have to dig for your treasures.  And pricing is per pound.  You get some amazing deals, but the shopping style is certainly not for everyone.  I like it, but after going several times already this month I promised Mr. Fox that I wouldn't go back for a month.

Mr. Fox spent some time this weekend working on our kitchen cabinets!!  We bought RTA cabinets (ready to assemble), so there's going to be quite a bit of putting together before we can actually put them in.  It would seem like a long time, but since it took us YEARS to actually get the ORDER in...well, I think my patience muscles are getting stronger.  {Not really...wish me luck.}

Hmm, I guess that's it.  Have a great week!

My progress update

Ok, so last week I said that I wanted to get certain things done, so let me report on them....

Bracelets. 
I made the twins name bracelets.

Then I made all five kids an initial bracelet.  I wasn't going to do one for Moose, but he put on Monkey's and didn't want to take it off.  To get him to give it back, I promised to make him one.  I was hesitatant to do it, but I love when he wears it!  It's very masculine.  Chick's isn't as cute as the others, I know.  I made hers just like Monkey's but in green.  She complained that she wanted the pink, but Monkey liked hers...so Chick got the leftover beads and it became a rainbow bracelet.  I don't like it at all, but that's what you get for being picky, I guess.

I also restrung a beaded necklace of mine that has been sitting around waiting to be repaired, so that was a huge little accomplishment.

Hair flowers.
Let me say right now that I don't crochet, but I do thrift store shop.  A year or so ago I found a bag of crocheted pieces-- squares, flowers, etc all in different colors.  I don't know if the person was just practicing a lot, or if they had several projects that they started and never finished?  But I knew that I could do something with it...so I put it all in my "refashion" box until inspiration struck.  Which it did a couple of weeks ago.  I looked through there and found that there were four flowers of the same color pink--all different sizes and patterns.  So I put felt and a barrette in the back, and a brown leather button on the front of each (all buttons are also different sizes), and voila: matching hairflowers for my four girls!  I also did a bonus light pink, and will also be finishing a white one soon.

Also I did the flowers for the hats that go with the cocoons.  I bought blue yarn, even though no one voted for it, and didn't like the flower.  So then I bought a raspberry colored yarn, and love it.  And I'm especially proud that I was able to make up a way to make the flower all on my own.  Like I said, I don't crochet, but I did want a similar look.  I think they turned out pretty cute ; )  Now to find a big wooden platter for the photoshoot...and of course wait for the little ladies to make their appearance.

The kids and I went garage saling yesterday.  I got a few clothes for Moose and Monkey, and a toy or book for each (they were very good), and some maternity clothes for me.  But mostly I got school and grow into clothes for Chick, and some things for the babies.  The first sale we went to was at my brother & SIL's house, and that's where I got the baby stuff and maternity stuff.  Including a maternity swimsuit that fits well and is green, but will still take every ounce of self confidence that I possess to get me to go out in public in it.
Funny thing about the garage sales: about 3 people asked if Monkey and Moose were twins (they were in a double jogging stroller).  I would respond by saying that no, they were 18 months apart, but that I am expecting twins.  Then the people would look at me and say, "Really?  How cool!  But you aren't very big!"  Seriously?!!  And no joke, it was about three different occasions--different people, different g-sales, same conversation.

One lady also said that I must be Mormon.  I don't know if she was kidding or not, but I told her that I was...to which she said something about us not believing in birth control.  I said that we're fine with birth control, and her friend said that we just like our families.  Exactly.

Speaking of liking my family: Moose has started saying his own prayer at night (with help, of course) and it is SO CUTE.  It's a good thing he is so cute sometimes, because he's a serious stinker sometimes and he needs to keep a good balance for self-preservation.

Ok, so here's my belly.  you can decide if you think I'm big or not.

I felt pretty huge with Moose...and looking at this post, I was pretty close to the size I am now...but my belly this time is a lot more rounded out--wider, higher, lower, etc. 

K, also HH worked on painting the nursery, but that'll get done this week, so no pics yet.
I didn't start the blessing dresses.
So for next week: nursery pics, blessing dresses.  That's probably all for this coming week, since I'm teaching preschool this week and will be starting layout as well.

The Sweetness at the bottom of the pie

I just totally *lifted* my post title from the title of a book that I haven't even read...but I do like the title and I do think it applies to my day yesterday.  I didn't actually have any pie, mind you, but I did have a lot of sweetness.
The sweetness started at 5:30 a.m. when I got to wake up and have my lovely pregnancy insomnia at a more reasonable hour and with the company of my husband.  We watched a show together on the laptop, and then I went back to sleep for a few minutes while he got up and took care of the kids.

The sweetness reached maximum sweet when it was time for me to wake up and Chick came in to talk to me.  She told me how many days until her birthday, and that she knew I was tired and that the babies needed breakfast, so she was going to bring me breakfast in bed.
Monkey helped her.  Breakfast consisted of: orange juice, peanuts, blueberries, crackers, and wheat chex.  All but the o.j. was served dry on a plate, atop a bed tray.  The girls stayed and talked to me the whole time that I ate-- explaining how they decided on each type of food, why it was healthy for me and the babies, etc.  Monkey kept touching it.  I suspect the presentation and content of breakfasts in bed will get better as the years progress, but the sentiment and effort will never be beat.  I sure love those girls.

During breakfast in bed I was informed that when I got up I was going to make them pancakes and Daddy was going to make bacon.  Pancakes weren't really in my hurried morning plan, but I didn't want to mess up their plans, so I made time for it.

After breakfast, dressing, and getting a salad tossed together, I ran the kids to my aunt's place for a few hours.  Then I was off to a Relief Society function "Demo, Dine, & Design" where I saw how to do several things, ate a DELICIOUS lunch, visited with great sistas, got a lot of good twin advice from a mom of twins, and learned how to Nifty Knit.  (Since then I've finished two baby hats...pretty quick and easy!)  It really was fantastic and relaxing. 

Then I went to the thrift store to take a quick look at their maternity clothing (I got all of mine out, and though there are a few pieces of which I will never tire, I mostly felt uninspired by the wardrobe in general).  I was pleasantly pleased with the selection that I found at the thrift store.  I walked away with two new shirts, black yoga-style pants (which I intend to live in), a new dress that will fit a REALLY BIG belly (I think), black slip-on flats, and a baby layette pattern that I doubt I'll have time to sew, but it was so precious that I couldn't resist. (http://images.patternreview.com/sewing/patterns/newlook/6310/6310.jpg)

Then I picked up the kids.  They had a great time, and my aunt was still alive, so it was a win-win-win for all of us.

We hurried home to make homemade pizza and take baths, and when we got home I was greeted with a working HH who... (drum roll please)...was working on the living room ceiling!!!!!  Hooray!!!

And that is my day.  It was really great, and such a nice way to round out a very eventful week.  Though the week had some hard things, it really turned out well.

I've been...

...making covered composition books using Annalia's tutorial.  I did one for each of the kids in Chick's preschool, as well as for a couple of the younger siblings for when preschool was held in their home (Monkey was one of them).

(They aren't perfect, but they're still pretty darn cute.  Plus I enjoyed getting to make something for each of the kids in preparation for preschool.  And I think they like having their own special book.  Whenever Monkey sees a scrap of any of these papers she tells me, "That's Hyrum's paper"  or "That's Bella's" ...those papers will forever be associated with the kids in preschool)

...Making smocks for preschool.  I made up my own smock design using a men's oxford.  They're a little funny in the back, but the kids don't seem to mind.  The girls got matching headscarfs, because we don't want their hair to get paint on it...and because I didn't want to waste the good details of the buttons and button holes : )  {you'll see more smock pictures when I blog actual preschool pictures}

...making picture pebble magnets.  I did 5 large ones, and 4 small ones.  I love them.  The large ones are on my fridge, and the small ones are on my lockers.

(and speaking of my lockers)

...organizing my fabric stash into my previously-pretty-waste-of-space lockers.

 {left: Chick quilt fabric / Multi-color and holiday / Purple / Blue / Green}

{center: Gear / Red / Pink / White, neutral, yellow}

{right: Felt / Fancy and specialty / Black, b&w / Kid} 

(someday I'll need to fill that in, but in the meantime I didn't have the heart to take that space away)

...making hair accessories.  My niece (in-law) told me how to make the petaled fabric flowers, and they were so easy (aside from the long time that it took me to pick out the buttons for the centers) that I did a bunch.  The small dk green ones are to go with a oxford-refashioned shirt dress that I'm making for Monkey.  I still need to do the waistband, so no pics yet.

My favorite is the blue and white floral with the polka dot center.  That blue floral fabric is from when I was a flower girl at my sister's wedding...when I was three-years-old!

...practicing butterfly face painting.  Not very good.  I blame that partly on the inferior paints that I was using (I'm definitely upgrading before my next practice session), and partly on the girls who both were crying just as I was about to take the picture.  Monkey was even putting her face on her hands and laying on the ground, so she really got smeary.  Anyhow, it's just a starting point...I'll keep practicing.  If I get good enough by January then there will be butterfly facepainting at Chick's birthday party.

...making a shaved-crayon jack-o-lantern with my girls.  (Moose just wanted to eat the crayons).

...thrift store shopping.  Honestly, there will be thrift stores in heaven.
Anyhow, here's the whole haul from my most recent shopping trip.  A lot of it is gear for making gifts.  A lot of the ideas for the gifts came from the hours and hours that I've spent looking at things on pinterest.  I have a love/hate relationship with pinterest.  Love everything about it, hate that it has monopolized my time.

 {$57.  A little more than I usually spend.  That was with several things on sale for $1, and everything else 20% off.  1 sheet and 2 duvet covers, box of 1000 popsicle sticks, wax, spool of candlewick, 2 spools ribbon, 2 photo albums, 2 pairs of pants for Chick, new Gymboree tights for Monkey, tie for Moose, like new Espirit shoes for Chick, 2 kids books, clutch purse for me, shirt and bodyshaper for me, matchbox cars for Moose (for Christmas), Melissa & Doug tool box &a tool belt (+ extra tools) for Moose (for his birthday), duffle bag, build-a-birdfeeder kit, and a Haba Pic-pac set.} 

The highlights of all of that: 

red, white, & blue ribbon that will be perfect for Monkey's upcoming Madeline in Paris birthday party!!!! 

The clutch for me.  It's green.  I love green.  I don't like to carry a purse. I've been using a really cute little pouch that Lia made for me, but it's starting to look a little worn out.  Hopefully I'll come to love this clutch as I've loved the pouch.

The Pic-Pac.  I don't know what Pic-Pac means.  I assume that's all in German.  But I do know that at $1.60 and almost unused, all pieces included, it was a GREAT find on the night before teaching about construction workers.  In fact, I think this was everyone's favorite part of preschool that day.  Who doesn't like to hammer things?!

The tool box set.  Pretty cute, and looks quite complete. 

(would have also been good to use for construction day at preschool, but I resisted)

This yellow Ikea duvet cover.  I don't think you can really see the wonderfulness of it in this picture, but it really is wonderful. And it'll be PERFECT for the intended project...but I can't say what it is because I'm also doing the same project for someone who probably reads this blog.


...planning birthday parties.  Monkey's is next month, and Chick's is in January.  Madeline, and Rainbows & Butterflies.  Super fun.  I think party planning is one of the perks of motherhood.

fun little pretty things

I'm sure you already know that I'm all about thrift stores.  I do like to shop, but I don't like to spend lots of money, and I usually have buyer's remorse if I buy something expensive.  But this time I actually bought some things NEW!  Once in a while it's nice to "splurge."  And I used a Living Social deal on this, so really it wasn't bad.

Anyhow, my new pretties: a butter crock, and a honey pot!  The butter crock is pretty handy, but the honey pot has stolen my heart.  so cute.{They don't sit next to each other in real life}
And Le Creuset has a whole line of other yellow things that I need want.
Now for a new countertop.....

Things Unblogged

It has been almost a MONTH since I blogged!  I'm sure the one or two people who read my blog have already given up on it, so I'm just sending this post out into the void.  But whatever.

The first thing unblogged: I read the Hunger Game books.  I enjoyed them.  The first two better than the third, though the third was necessary.  I sat on my couch and read for 3 days straight.  I stayed up too late.  I ignored my kids as much as legally possible.  I let dirt and dishes and laundry accumulate (more than usual).  I had a vague rememberance that I used to be able to sit and read as much as I wanted.

I wish I could say that I've been crafty or have sewn, or at least STARTED Moose's scrapbook.  But no.  Nothing.  The frame to repaint is still on my kitchen counter.  The dress pattern got cut out, but not the fabric.  It did get washed, though.  The scrapbook is still a little nag at the back of my head.

I HAVE been doing something exciting, but I can't tell you what it is yet.  It's a surprise.  Just a little something that I'm working on that I don't want to blog about until y'all can see it with your own eyes.  But it'll be good, so wait with baited breath (but don't hold your breath completely, because I have no idea how long it'll take me).

And that's me.  My month in a nutshell.

Thankfully my kids give me ample things to blog about.

Like this one. 

He's a big nine-month-old now.  He claps, sometimes he waves.  He signs "eat" and "more" and likes to do just that (eat more, I mean).  He isn't so into walking yet--he likes to have something to hold onto, but he is quite a good cruiser in the meantime.  He likes his sisters, though it makes me wonder if he's crazy.  He's good at hugs, as well as crying really loud like he's being murdered.  I really like him.  Oh, and he gives kisses.  Big, sloppy, wet, open-mouth kisses.

This one is starting to count and tell us the color of everything that she sees.  It's quite a relief, actually, because I was starting to think that she might be color blind.  She's also doing pretty well with potty training, but some days she's really not good at all.  I don't know why.  Kids are complex.  She's a super funny little person, and is getting to the stage where she can talk a lot and says really funny things that aren't funny but they're funny because she's little and cute.

She's also the fall guy for her sister.   Tonight HH had to explain that Chick would get in trouble not only for getting out of bed herself (which she didn't do) but also for telling her sister to get out of bed (which she did do).



I guess Chick hadn't gotten over wanting to go to McDonalds for lunch and not getting to.
"There's no I in Team McDonalds."



And Chick.  She's reading more and more.  She's learning about things like earthquakes and counting in Spanish.  She gets her sister into trouble, she loves brussell sprouts.  She's good at walking on tip-toes and copying her dance teacher.  I got to sit in on a class during observation week and it was really fun to watch her.  She helps a lot with Moose, and is young enough to feel special for it, rather than underpaid.

By the way, Moose must be old enough that life feels more manageable to me.  I say that because there comes a time when I start thinking of things that we can do BEYOND basic survival.  It was after 9 months with Monkey, too, so I guess that's the magic number.  When your baby is 9 months then life can start to resume.  That's just a theory.

Anyhow, some of what I want to resume:  working on the house.  I'm hosting a party for my sister at the end of April.  I didn't want it here, because of the added stress of cleaning and fixing things up...but here it shall be anyhow.  Sooo, I've decided to fix up the downstairs.  It'll double our party space.  But that means that I need to clear things out, paint, carpet, make curtains, and do other general decorating all in 6 weeks.  And some of it (getting rid of the ripped and somewhat broken recliner) is against the wishes of my husband, but I really see no compromise available.....



This is probably the last time you'll see the dark panelling....

By the way, this is off the subject (Squirrel!), but I love this house:


I'm a sucker for black shutters.

Ok, other projects: teaching my girls some earth science in preparation for visiting BioSphere 2 (in Tucson) later this year.  If there is any upside to the earthquake in Japan, it is that it started discussions about our Earth.

Teaching them Italian.  Something that I've always planned to do, but have yet to make it much of a reality.  But Chick's window of prime opportunity is narrowing, so I need to get on it.  What I'm thinking of doing is one day a week of immersion.  That day will be entirely in Italian.  Including any books read, movies watched, etc.  I probably won't blog those days, because I think the people that read Italian AND that read my blog are scarse indeed (but not non-existent, so who knows?)  Anyhow, if you have successfully taught your child a language that is a second language for all in the household, please share your tips with me.

Ok, so do I have other news?  I've bought several things on Amazon.com.  I daresay that's my favorite place to shop lately.  Yesterday the DVD version of A&E's Pride and Prejudice arrived (I've only had the VHS all this time).  Also yesterday came  a little emergency radio to keep in our 72 hr kits--it cranks up really easily, and has a flashlight, and a solar-power option, and can also charge a cell phone.  Here's hoping that I don't ever need it. 

One thing that I'm still waiting on is a butterfly garden.  I'm pretty excited about that.

Ok, I think that's enough.  I wasn't meaning to make this post so long that it would replace the length of a month's worth of posts...but whatever.  It just feels so good to be blogging again that I'm swept up in the euphoria.  Deal with it.

Love you all.  Ciao ciao.