Celebrating Color November 20, 2011

A favorite sewing blog (Stitched in Color) has been hosting a three month celebration of color and crafting. As soon as I read the initial post, I started planning an outfit for M. I had some yellow material from Lecien that I purchased with her in mind—it has tiny colorful flowers in orange, red, white, and turquoise and just screamed M in the fall to me.

I put together two japanese patterns (the top is from Girls Style Wardrobe and the pants are from an issue of Cucito magazine) and made what I think is an awfully cute outfit. Of course, Life got in the way and I finished way later than planned, so the 40 degree weather here is a bit cool for this fall outfit! Somehow I don’t think that will stand in M’s way. Picture-taking opportunities have also been hard to come by, hence the late afternoon, post nap hair and yawning here!

Top has pleats at the neck, balloon sleeves, a rear yoke, brown lace edging at the hem and two acorn buttons at the neck. The pants are cropped brown fine cord with pockets on the front and reverse pleat openings of the same material as the shirt on the sides. Isn’t she a vision of fall?

There is a little contest associated with the color celebration, so I am throwing my hat into the Wearables category ring. Fingers crossed for me please!

Christmas…here and Gone December 29, 2010

Wow, that was fast. I felt like we were constantly busy and yet after Christmas was over I thought of about a hundred things we didn’t do this season (cards still not made, much less sent; the girls didn’t complete any homemade gifts for relatives; no Garden d’Light; didn’t actually make cookies for Santa; completed just one felt tree of the planned six [worse still, this is a craft holdover that was uncompleted last Christmas!]). Sigh. As G points out, the girls do not seem disappointed. Sadly, of the things we did do/make/etc. I have little photo documentation. Perhaps some more photos will appear one day if I manage to snap the tree before it keels over.

A few things we did but lack photos of include:

1. Visiting Santa. A certain little M wouldn’t sit in his lap, or even approach anywhere near him, crying or not. So I am in the pictures. This has destroyed the photo such that photographer actually included a free photo in our packet of just C with Santa! Trying not to take it too hard. In any case, not sharing photos here!

2. Decorating two trees. “Tree the lesser” as seen in an earlier post was our handmade tree, although enthusiasm for that didn’t hold steady (paper chains take a lot longer to make than expected). G and C purchased a bigger, fuller tree during a rainstorm and that was our “main” tree.

3. One strand of outdoor lights. The neighborhood is a bit light crazy (I suggested we just put up some outdoor mirrors, but G vetoed that suggestion) and this was our token nod. And the main tree was in the front window.

4. Annual Nutcracker attendance. M and I sat this one out. But we did meet up with G, C, and the grandparents for dinner and then Bellevue’s Snowflake Lane.

5. Annual viewing of the Grinch.

6. Friends over for dinner on Christmas Eve. I made chickpea sensation patties with vegan gravy (outstanding), root vegetable au gratin (foiled a bit by some tough celery root), beet and blue cheese salad, baked macaroni and cheese, and decadent chocolate mousse. The latter was so easy and so good. I always try to hit dessert out of the park (and make it first) in case the rest of dinner is terrible. I was surprised to be talking to a friend recently and hear that she doesn’t make new recipes for guests. I almost always do. Dinner can be a bit of a risk at my house I guess. But I will feed you mousse!

7. Went to the pottery studio to paint a mug (C) and plate (me and M) for Santa cookies’ and milk. Although then we ran out of time to make cookies—Santa had mousse and reportedly was quite pleased with the changeup.

I did take some photos though. The grandparents were in town for a week, ending late on 12/22, which meant lots of time with the kids (C was on winter break for some of that time). Sadly, I lack photos of the train that Grandpa and C set up under the main tree, and especially the four or so large cardboard accoutrements they designed and implemented, including a painted mountain with train tunnel. Grandpa and C also steered the decorating of the (purchased from a local bakery) gingerbread house. A good way to use up halloween candy!

 

I think maybe they lost steam after that first side. You can’t quite make out the awesome lifesaver and toothpick people standing in front, but rest assured they were very cool.

Grandma and Grandpa were also roped into reading lots of books and babysitting so I could run outside and do a two hour new patient dentist visit. No cavities!

I did do one photoshoot of the two generations, but there were few where everyone is looking the same direction with eyes open. This is more typical:

My girls are always good for funny faces (C in the first, M in the second):

And see how they all love Grandpa (let him know, ‘cause he didn’t see it!):

Grandma and Grandpa were witness to a bit of a baking frenzy on my part. I had been warned that everyone in the neighborhood (17 houses) exchanges gifts at the holidays. I, of course, baked. But it turned out that gifts ran the gamut, and a purchased bag of Lindor truffles is also acceptable. That might save me a day (or three) next year. Not likely though, especially if Martha Stewart comes out with another holiday cookie issue. Mmm. I did discover that 16 plates require a lot of cookies though…even double batches of all cookies left them a bit sparse.

 

Springy, fluffy marshmallows (easy, and folks are always surprised by the idea of homemade marshmallows), Sparkling Ginger Chocolate cookies (a last minute decision, and somewhat of a disappointment—too crunchy with all that sugar), Honey Cardamom snowflakes (awesome tasting, although my decorating was hurried, and the edible glitter stars didn’t work out so great), white and chocolate mice (these were more about looks than taste, that thick of a cookie is somewhat hard to take, but I thought they looked good!), and saffron macarons with chocolate ganache filling (recipe slightly different looking in the magazine as opposed to online. And my almond meal had skins. Hence the speckles. But these were different and tasty).

 

I will definitely make macarons again.

  

(Posting before this thing stretches into a thesis length tome.)

Halloween… October 31, 2010

With a party at C’s school, trick or treating at G’s office, a costume party, and regular trick or treating, the costumes really got a work out this year. We went with a family theme once C decided to be a witch and M opted to wear C’s old monkey costume…

The wicked witch of the west and her flying monkey. (Not sure why the monkey opted to wear glasses this day).

We kicked it up a notch for the costume party with G and I in costume as well (don’t even want to say how late we were up on Friday night…designing and sewing my own costume the night before was not such a hot idea). No pictures of that.

Up yet another notch for the big day with some serious makeup for C…

C was a pretty good sport for the makeup and glued on facial extensions. M was a bit of a wild monkey, swerving in and out of lines during the downtown Bothell trick or treating (little understanding of waiting her turn) and trying to grab candy out of passing kids’ buckets (little understanding of who was handing out the candy and who was taking). You can’t see the rest of C’s broom, her green nail polish, or my ruby slippers, but rest assured they are all there.

You would think… October 30, 2010

That having done this professionally I could figure out what is going on. Spaces is updating to WordPress now, so things are looking a bit different and I haven’t figured out how to make it all pretty and nice yet. But commenting should be easier than before! Give me a bit and hopefully this will soon be better for everyone involved.

Countdown to 7 October 18, 2010

Two parties this past weekend—a pumpkin carving party and C’s 7th birthday party! If only both kids didn’t still have colds (and me too).

First up was pumpkin carving. M didn’t really participate, except for eating a lot of chips with hummus (don’t ask—she loves hummus) and utilizing a play kitchen set. C seemed interested and had designed her own paper templates in advance, but once we arrived she complained it was too hard to cut and let G do all the heavy carving. G continued in his tradition of using accessories, and I attempted to copy Martha Stewart Living (and am not ashamed to admit I happened to have an unused linoleum block cutting set laying around the house).

Top to bottom: G, me, and C.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here is Miss Chappy nose with the pumpkins:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day was C’s birthday party at local(ish) pottery painting studio Color Me Mine. With the party package they did all the decorations—C had requested “spooky” and they delivered with Halloween themed balloons, a light up pumpkin necklace for C, orange and black m&ms, bat and skull centerpieces, and some spooky plates and napkins:

 

 

 

 

 

We had a spooky cake from local (for real) bakery Hillcrest:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was surprised how many of the kids liked to eat the fondant ghosts. All the kids got to paint a small pottery piece, including C who had wanted to paint a scary cat with fangs (they do not stock such a piece) and settled for drawing her own pictures on tiles, and M who painted a fish and then sponged it off for about 20 quiet minutes, such that I suspect no paint remained.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luckily, C is not a big believer in needing to blow out all the candles in one breath (I believe it took 3 + daddy):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C received an insane amount of presents (themes: crafts, Barbies, and Polly Pockets) and I finally admitted that the kids did get goody bags (attempts to tell them they only got a bag if they too were goody were only moderately successful). No current photos of the 13 goody bags which I sewed the night before (C helped pick spooky material) or the awesome fake spooky teeth that were the far and away hit of the bag.

Much fun was had by all, even by G who on Saturday was surprised to discover that C’s party was the next day, and then on Sunday was surprised to hear that we were going to stay for the party (since I had told him it was a drop off party). Sigh.

Today C started her reign as “Tiger of the Week” in her class by sharing her all about me poster. I did not in fact make it onto the poster as person she admires (in fact, when she was filling out the sheet I did not even come up—Christopher Columbus and Santa were rejected in favor of …. Daddy. Not that I am bitter!) But I am present in “favorite thing to wear” which she filled out as “mom cloths” but which is supposed to mean the clothes I make for her. In fact, she wore the latest skirt and shirt outfit to her party, but as you can only see the shirt a little I will need to get a better photo.

Quick, get in the car so we can drive to Snohomish October 12, 2010

or, why you should always check that the local pumpkin patch is open on weekdays BEFORE promising the kids you will take them there on a sunny day after school.

Sigh.

At least I did check online before loading them into the car (having learned from my mistake this weekend!) and I was able to find an open pumpkin patch not too far away (20-30 minutes) which had pumpkins and some kooky displays. Thank you Craven Farms! We did not find all the specialty pumpkins needed to recreate some MSL goodness, but such is life. We have two different pumpkin carving parties this year so the pressure is on to create, create, create. C declared that in comparison to our previous years’ patches this one was “great for pumpkins, not so great for entertainment.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nonetheless, we did manage to score a few pumpkins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And we were out in a lovely location on a sunny autumn day.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With a couple of sisters who put on their pumpkin outfits (C insisted on the skirt, claiming that it had some orange in it), only fought a little, and were super excited to sneak extra pumpkins into the wheelbarrow whenever I turned around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some more M cuteness. Who used a port a potty at the patch and had her second in a row accident free potty training day! Woohoo! Amazing how much calmer I am on days that don’t involve poopy underpants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

And of course Miss Colorful, Miss C. Whose endless cold combined with a friend attempting to jump over her and instead landing on her face has resulted in some chapped and swollen lips (and her top two teeth loosened again…so much excitement there). Who is counting down the days to her birthday party, Grammy/Grampy visit, and actual birthday. She is getting some awesome gifts this year, will be surrounded by a good mix of friends at a pottery painting party, and to top it off is “Tiger of the Week” next week at school. Where she gets to share things like favorite place to visit (“I want to say Cleveland because that is where my grandparents are, but all the kids will wonder why I didn’t say Disneyland”), person she admires (“You mommy! Because I love you!”) and favorite thing she owns (sly smile and then, “M!”). 

Speed of Light September 26, 2010

Quite a busy few weeks here as C gets into a new school routine, M started music class, both of them restarted swimming and G started a new job. And I, well, I guess for now I continue to be the behind the scenes person.

C seems to have quickly made some very nice friends at school and even landed a boyfriend for a day or so! Apparently he followed her all around on the playground and insisted they choose the same color ball at recess and she was sold. Not too many days later though he no longer wanted to be her boyfriend. She seems to have taken it all in stride. I on the hand have been caught off guard by this boyfriend business. Not much time to talk to C though as she begs every day to have friends over or play at their houses, and with several in the immediate neighborhood her wishes are often fulfilled.

C continues to be quite the fashion plate, between her store bought outfits and some that I have made. She was eager to wear her new clothes ASAP when school started:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can’t quite see the gray skinny jeans in the last picture, but as the one member of the family who can pull off skinny jeans she definitely had to have some. I am not sure where her penchant for buttoning to the top comes from. Perhaps the same place where her “everything should always be tucked in” penchant began.

We do think she looks particularly cute in hats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I finally finished that last “ice cream” dress that I cut way back in the spring. Happy with how this one turned out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not to be outdone, M has some new owl duds, as well as clothes discovered when we went “shopping” in the boxes of C’s old clothes. The elephant outfit was a favorite I was happy to see again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(M also got that much needed hair cut.)

Speaking of old outfits of C, someone just might wear an “ooh ah” costume this Halloween….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C is lately obsessed with Barbies (aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh what have I done??) to the point where I even agreed to attempt a Barbie perm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

M is busy with potty training (well, I am busy with potty training). We have had multiple disagreements about how much “pwivacy” she needs in public restrooms. Sometimes after she does she reminds me “I went pee in the potty. Now you say, ‘Good job!’” Her other activities are primarily riding bikes (she can pedal a mean tricycle) and playing with “Yittle Peoples” [Little People®]. She gets some quite elaborate scenes going on, many of which involve birthday cake.

Today we managed to make it to the final day of the Puyallup Fair. I believe this may be the one event we have made it to every year since moving here. (Actually now that I type that, I think we have also visited the same pumpkin patch every year too. Better make sure that one gets done again!) M was barely tall enough to go on some rides. Nothing like seeing your two year old with a gun in her hand.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(FYI I knit the hat C is wearing, finishing it last night. She was pretty excited to wear it all day to the fair, even with a short sleeve dress, although later claimed that she can’t wear it again because the neighborhood kids might make fun of her. If that is the case, I might just take the hat back!)

Dreary days and lots of time with C gone have meant not many photos. And then not much blogging. But with a certain 6 year old turning 7 soon and Halloween preparations hopefully the pace will pick up a bit shortly.

First day of school; end of summer September 1, 2010

Someone started first grade today, wearing the promised cowgirl outfit. We went to an open house yesterday to meet her teacher, drop off all the requested supplies (3 boxes of Kleenex, two boxes of ziploc bags, five packages of post its, 4 packages of baby wipes…oh and some pencils and stuff) and scope out the scene. C’s classmates seem very nice, although it is 12 boys and 7 girls… Her teacher is rumored to be the one that churns out strong readers, which would be nice. C seemed fairly excited about school, although walking home from the open house (we are about a 9 minute walk at a “prodded first grader” pace) she mentioned that for second grade she would like to go just for half days. Had to let her down gently with the news that is only for kindergarten.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I forgot that the card has distinguishing information about it so you only get to see the picture where it is blown backwards. C was very sad to discover that hats are not allowed in the classroom. Sigh. Unfortunately we just bought another hat yesterday at a back to school splurge at Gymboree.

Here is C ready to leave the house with the photo prop that is never far away….a prop badly in need of a haircut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last weekend we hit the Bothell RiverFest for some kettle korn, free food scrap composting collection containers, bouncy houses, and an 80s cover band. The girls were not as willing to spaz out to Come On Eileen and Love Shack as G and I were. No pictures of that though

 

 

 

 

 

M went on the bouncy slide over and over again while C was painting a decorative tile. M’s understanding of waiting in line was a bit fuzzy, but she climbed up that ramp like nobody’s business, flew down, jumped off with a smile, and would immediately try to go again. Several parents of hesitant 4 year olds were heard making some comparisons with my little daredevil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other recent M antics…quite the party animal post neighbor’s birthday party, and enjoying a spiderman frozen treat from the local ice cream truck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not sure how she knows who spiderman is, but whatever.

Hobbies have taken a bit of a back seat this summer, but I did finish dresses for the two girls that I had cut out way at the beginning of the summer…one more still cut out that I would like to get sewn up before the cold weather hits! Both are from Anna Maria Horner voile which is soft and light and irons well. (Pattern is the Oliver + S ice cream dress).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Back in July I also finished my first knitted blanket for a new second cousin who [finally] arrived last week. Took pictures on one of the hottest days we were in Cleveland before mailing it off to NYC…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standard garter stitch log cabin blanket which hopefully matches owl sheets from Target…that is poor game little C there holding up a blanket—cotton at least—in hundred degree weather.)

C wrapped up her swim classes for the summer and remains at the same level. She is much, much stronger than before and a happy swimmer, but technique leaves a bit to be desired.

 

 

 

 

 

I will have to get a shot of her making muscles at some point…since seeing me do a [few] chin-ups she has been bragging about her strength and even claimed to be the strongest person in her class last year… As you will see if I take the picture, the circumference of her arm changes not at all from slack to pumped…G and I have a great time squeezing that little twig and exclaiming over her muscles!

Summer, we hardly knew ye August 16, 2010

Sigh. So many plans for this summer and now there is just over two weeks left (i.e., C starts first grade on September 1st) and most of my list remains undone. Perhaps fall will be a better time to get the kids to eat vegetables anyway.

C has done two weeks (mornings) of art camp, one week (9-2) of drama camp, and has one week (mornings) of Lego® camp to go. At the end of each art camp there was a “gallery opening” of the week’s activities. Here are the girls playing with C’s house (which included a pool [with pool noodles and floats], bridge, parking lot, garbage can, garbage truck, fire escape, and several feet of road). Oh, and a clay turtle with its own skateboard and helmet. It is always pleasing to me to see M jump in and play with something C made, although perhaps not always as pleasing to C (a lot of parts are broken already).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drama camp ended with a full production of a play the kids wrote (it was all going into first and second graders). C’s was something about a haunted castle and a ghost that a knight tried to flush down the toilet. She herself was a princess and convinced another girl to be her pet hamster named Marley. She did wake up one morning that week laughing about the toilet part of the play, so I think she thoroughly enjoyed herself. I would not necessarily say that the setting encouraged good photography.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C is doing four weeks of intensive swimming classes (well, 30 minutes a day M-Th—she does say that the scooping and kicking make her arms and legs hurt though) and since we have had some mid-80 plus weeks I think the pool has been a welcome treat. Her floating is much improved. Hope to get better pics of that when I don’t have a “little helper” along for class.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This past weekend was one of the hotter days and I insisted that we stop doing household chores and hit the beach. Went all the way to West Seattle to experience Alki and we weren’t disappointed (although not really swimming temperature water up here). Requisite burying of the kids, attempting of the water, etc. Then C met two little girls around her age on the next set of towels and played with them for an hour or so while M ate chips.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C splashed a bit, but since we never found a place to change (it was hot, and the kids want to bring a lot of stuff but not help carry it….) I never got my suit on. C was willing to change in a towel that G and I held up around her. I have heard that there is a neat playground nearby but didn’t find that either. We did hit a patio for fish, chips, and beer/milk afterwards to soak up some more stunning views. On the beach we could see the Olympic mountains and from the fish n chips place we could see Seattle. And after that we mostly saw sticky kids, as the kids meals included (HUGE) ice cream cones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news, I think my Gymbucks were well spent…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Given that she has those boots (one of our best used clothing store finds ever!) how could resist? And C, never one to “save” clothes immediately put on the whole outfit, scoffed at any idea of preserving it for the first day of school, did let out an unprompted “I love it all Mommy thank you so much!” and then marched up and down the street.

Eskimo bars were had today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And my second attempt at Salted Caramel ice cream was fairly successful. This stage is prettiest though I think.

Cleveland, Take One July 31, 2010

12 days in Cleveland (including about 24 hours in Columbus) with family and friends. Red eye flight, 3 hour time change, three different houses slept in…with two kids. Much fun was had by all, although some of us wish that M would get back on west coast time a bit faster (5 am wakeup cries are no fun).

I had over 600 photos to go through so just posting a few for now…a quick recap of (some) things we did on our summer vacation.

Sister time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glamour time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ice cream time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bubble time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swimming time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Animal time 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grandparent time