Monday, January 25, 2010

January Sewing Project - Done!

One of my 2010 goals is to start and finish a sewing project each month. Well, here's January's! It's an a-line skirt. I used old material that Alli had left behind and added some rick rack. Kim came over on Saturday and helped me get it right. It's more fun to sew when you have company. By the way, Kim is in an online craft competition - So, You Think You're Crafty! It's anonymous crafts, so she can't tell us which one is hers. But it's still fun to go and vote for your favorites. Round Two, which Kim is in, starts next week, so check it out.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today's my 30th birthday. I think my 30s are going to be a very good decade. Not that my 20s weren't. I've been reflecting a lot on what I've done and what I would like to do. So, here's a couple lists (I love lists in case you haven't noticed), about my 20s, 30s, and 2010.

In my 20s, I:
  • got engaged and married
  • finished my BS and MS degrees
  • bought 3 houses and sold 2 of them
  • moved 9 times (9 times!!)
  • had 2 kids
  • several jobs that I hated and finally one that I love
My 20s were good to me, but very busy. I spent a lot of my 20s taking care of babies and small children. Since Will is almost 7 and in 1st grade and Kaity is almost 5 and starting kindergarten, they are finally almost self-sufficient. We're entering a new phase of our lives that I'm really looking forward to. I'm settled in a good job and we've moved for what is hopefully our last time for a very long time. My 20s felt like we were constantly in transition - moving, adjusting to a new member of the family, learning a new job, etc. I finally feel like we've hit a place in our lives that we can start looking forward rather than just treading water all the time.

So, in my 30s I have a couple big goals for myself.
  • I'd like to travel out of the country, but I'll start with visiting a bunch of the US.
  • Get my national accreditation in public relations
  • Maybe start on my PhD (that's a big maybe - I waffle on this one a lot)
  • Possibly start my own business. I love working at UF, but times change and I think it would be pretty cool to work for myself.
  • Finish Dave Ramsey's financial peace baby steps (meaning totally debt free and contributing to stuff that's important to us - church, retirement, education, etc)
I'm sure there are more, but this is good for now. It seems really crazy to think, but by the time I'm 40, John and I will have been married almost 20 years and have kids almost ready to graduate from high school. That seems so far off, but time seems to move so fast that it'll be here before I know it.

For now, I'll settle with sharing my 2010 goals.
  • Complete Dave Ramsey baby step #2 - get rid of debt except for car and house
  • Start attending our Bible study group more regularly.
  • Help John finish the 2+ miles of fence for the farm.
  • Get fit. Or at least more active.
  • Go on one family vacation this year.
  • Start (and finish!) one new sewing project a month
  • Try five new crochet patterns
  • Plant two new flower beds
  • Play with Annie, the pony, at least once a week
  • Restart my garden (This one could be hard. My garden needs a LOT of help and retrofitting.)
  • Build a chicken coop. I'm getting chicks in February so this one is especially important.
  • Replace the carpet with wood laminant (if we can get out of debt first).
  • Redo Will's room with something more appropriate for a 7-year-old (bunk bed and desk).
So, that's my life in lists. I'd love to hear your thoughts about them. Happy birthday to me!

Saturday, January 09, 2010

Christmas Craftiness

This December, I actually accomplished several crafting projects. Last Christmas, I promised everyone an apron...as of Christmas 2009 I had followed through with exactly one.

This Christmas I wanted to make all the teachers something. I found a pattern for a bed buddy and went to work. They were so easy and fun to make that I made one for everyone in the family also. I ended up making 25 of these guys. Here's a picture of a few of them. I think it's all the different material I used. One side had cotton and the other was flannel. And, I made them so that the outside was a pillowcase that you could take off and wash. I think they were a hit. I've heard lots of good things about them from the teachers.




I made myself a new crocheted hat and scarf.


And, another new scarf which I actually used a pattern for. It's a twirly scarf and very long. Next time, I won't make it as long but I really like how this one turned out. I might make a matching hat.



So, now we're gonna get into the projects that I've been working on but haven't finished. I cut this apron for myself last year, but then never sewed it together. I finished it this year around Thanksgiving finally.


I've been working on this red blanket for a LONG time. It's crocheted with two skeins of yarn at the same time, so it's very thick and very heavy. I think it turned out very pretty and Kaity obviously likes it.


This one is made with camo colored yarn. I finally got inspired enough to finish it. I gave it to Crowe for Christmas. I think it will work well in his house.



This is my first attempt at granny squares. The yarn is varying shades of a maroonish pink and I've had it for several years not knowing what to do with it. I decided to try granny squares earlier this year. The pattern is pretty and I put it together by slip stitching it. I think I'll try a different method next time. It'll be a while before I do another one like this. I HATE weaving in ends. Oh, and Kaity has laid claim to this one.


While I didn't finish any of the promised aprons before Christmas, I did finish one the week after. Here's mom's. John says this is the best one I've made so far. I really like how it turned out and the colors I used. It's very 50ish.


This project wasn't an unfinished one, but one that really needed to happen. If anyone's been over lately, they've been kind enough to not comment on how nasty the covers of the bar seats were (except for mom, thanks mom). This was an easy project, but improves the room SO much. And, the fabric kinda matches the counter tops.



I have one more crafty project that I did, but I don't have pictures of yet. I made Alli crocheted snowflake earrings in red and silvery white. I forgot to take pictures before I sent them, but she's supposed to get me some eventually.

Maybe I can keep up the craftiness in 2010. I really enjoy it and love giving away homemade stuff.

Friday, January 08, 2010

What is it about fireplaces...

that makes people hang out in front of it?

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Bang, Bang!

We spent a lot of Christmas break doing this. Especially John. He went out every chance he got. Will also got a new BB gun. On this trip, John's best friend Ryan was with us.

Here Will's shooting one of John's pistols.


Kaity didn't want to shoot any this time. Her job was to put the spent shells back in the case nicely.


Will is shooting his BB gun on his belly. It's still a little big for him (it's actually almost too big for me.) He's shooting on John's new steady thing that he got for Christmas.


Ryan is helping Will figure out which eye is dominant. It's actually his left, but he wants to shoot right handed. We'll have to work on that.


Ryan let me shoot his new gun. It's a Smith and Wesson snubnose 38 special. It was really nice to shoot.


John's ready for us all to go again. Maybe soon we'll get to.

A Little Christmas Recap

December was CUHRAZY this year! With John and Will going to Texas and then two weeks off with the kids not a lot got done. We stayed in Micanopy for Christmas and then headed down to Tampa for New Year's. And, John's, Drue's and Grandad's birthdays were in between those. We had a great break, but I was really ready to get everyone back to their schedules this week.

Christmas Eve, Kaity and Daddy put "magic reindeer food" on the roof. She made it at school and it had Cheerios, granola, and glitter in it.

Santa was very generous this year. He brought four hermit crabs, two fig trees, and a toy for Will and Kaity.

One of the hermit crabs.


Kaity really likes Barbies...especially since she has all the clothes that my Grandma made me when I was a little girl.


"You'll shoot your eye out!" Will and his new Red Ryder BB Gun.


We played a lot with Annie also. This is John "riding" her.



But, mostly Annie did this. This is her new cart and harness and she's so cute in it.


It was a great Christmas and now I'm ready to be back to normal, everyday activities.

Monday, January 04, 2010

Don't Mess with Texas

Dora sent this shirt back with the boys for Kaity and the boys brought back a pink toy pistol for her. She got to unwrap both at Christmas and they go great with her pink cowboy hat and attitude.

New Year's Kid

She finally had the baby goat! John predicted I'd play midwife while he was in Texas and then said Christmas day. Well, she waited another week and had the baby New Year's Day, of course when we're down in Tampa. It's her first and she just had one (goats are known to have twins and triplets). So, no more kiddin' around, here's the new kid!


Right now, we're calling him Buster. He probably weighs a little more than Luna. I picked them both up this morning so I'm guesstimating.








Colonel paid us no never mind. He was too busy letting the world know that it was FINALLY warm enough to crow. It was really, really cold here this morning. At 11 am, the water troughs were still frozen over.


Billy Goat and Annie can't figure out what all the fuss is about.


Girl Goat seems to be a very attentive momma. She calls for him and checks up on him and he stays really close to her.

 

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