Wednesday, November 18, 2009

How to keep the 4yo busy.....

while helping older kids with homework...
scissors, wrapping paper, & glue.....
regular paper and a tray to protect the table from the glue.

lots of glueing and fun
some of these I helped cut out - because I was "playing" with him.
He decided to start cutting the animals in half and putting them on the paper like a puzzle. He really thought this was a hoot!! It also bought me 30 minutes of time for one of the other kids to read out loud to me. Phew!!





Monday, November 16, 2009

Poor baby.....

My poor baby is sick. Lots of fluids, reading of books and some TV.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Another Santa Cross Stitch update

Frantic and furious would be the description of the work being put in on this Santa Christmas stocking that was supposed to only take a year to complete. The general thought was that consistent attention and by consistent is meant daily - it would be a cake walk to complete not only the stitching, but also the sewing together to make the stocking.

The above is the last progress shot.
Here is the top of the stocking - lots done

Here is the middle/part of the bottom - lots done.

This is the stocking progress in full as of 2 days ago. Lots done - lots still to be finished. While it is the journey that is important (and believe me, the journey is still so much fun), the finished product is important also. This is not a surprise gift, DD#1 knows all about it - she also now knows that unless by some miracle there are a few more weeks added between now and December 25th, there is no way the stocking will be ready. She is fine with that - "Mom, that's ok" she said, "I will love it whenever it is finished." With those words echoing in my head, and the understanding from such a young person, the race is on to see if the impossible can indeed be made possible!



Thursday, November 5, 2009

Halloween Humor and Fabric Pumpkins

We love to decorate for Halloween and we also like to make some of our decorations.

These are little fabric pumpkins that the kids sewed by hand.
We went out to the yard to find twigs for the stems.
A little 4yo decorating humor.
He placed this skeleton jumping with his hands in the air...
Everytime he walked by he would crack up laughing.

Liked the first one soooo much had to do the next one the same way!
Note missing foot and half a leg - eaten by our STILL teething dog, Kate.
Yes, she eats everything......I think she has goat somewhere in her family tree!

This is teen humor. That is the door to our bathroom...

To make the pumpkins we first traced circles onto fabric. We had several different fabrics.


Then we cut out the circles.

and the fun began. This is at about 6:30am one Saturday in October.
Now you know how we spend our weekend mornings!!
They all loved this craft! I thought it was great that they can all sew.

Look at that concentration - this is his first time with a needle and thread. I know, I know "Bad Mommy!" - our first child was 18 mos old when she learned and she had her own embroidery hoop at that age!! Well......life takes over!

After sewing around the edge of the circles, pull up thread to form a cup and stuff.


Get some twigs from the backyard.


This was easier for some more than others..

Stick the twig in the top, pull tight, knot and presto! A pumpkin!!


Finishing up.

Helping a sibling. The hardest part was getting the string to knot tight enough around the twig to get it to stay in.


"I want to make one into a purse....."

After a lot of work and more stitching by mommy than by boy, we have a pouch to carry "treasures"

Her wee tiny pumpkin.

This one loves ALL crafts and these are only two of many that she cranked out in a relatively short period of time! No pictures of the teen -- she slept in until around 9:30 or so and made hers then. But the rest of us were on to breakfast and other things by then. Oh....to be 14 again.....and to be able (and allowed) to sleep in until it is actually light outside!!

Most of the pumpkins all together.




















Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Halloween Costumes

Halloween this year was a complete blast!! We decided at the last minute (a few days before) to host a party for a few families. It got completely out of hand and we had almost 70 people here. It was so much fun!!! We served a simple dinner, had one craft, and went trick-or-treating. It was so easy that we are planning on doing it again next year!


14yo wearing the cowboy outfit for younger brother - she had so-o much fun. Kate as the pirate dog. Kate really did not like her costume and the head piece was taken off within moments. She was so tired by the end of the night that she sprawled in the middle of the living room floor (after trick-or-treating for hours) with kids and adults stepping over her. She just snored on oblivious to it all!
The 11yo (in the witch hat)

The 9yo - he was a jewelry thief. Where do they come up with this stuff??!


The 7yo (in the wig, hat & cape) - she is an "old, granny, hag" said in a quavering voice.




Just thought this one was cute! It made me laugh :o)



The 4yo "Ninja" - $7 at Walmart and he still hasn't taken it off!





My costume (sorry it's blurry). The food wrappers are just pinned to my pants. And in case you can't tell what I am supposed to be.......






There it is....."Snack Mom". Just a little spoof and so much fun!