A Good Outlet

Steve was gone a couple of weeks ago. He went to Washington to see his family. While I was fine with him taking a break and visiting his parents, I was a little jealous that he got to enjoy the cool weather for a couple days. Not only was I jealous, I was a little anxious. I don't do well when we are apart overnight. I hear every single noise, can't sleep very well and end up being a walking zombie. I decided that instead of me obsessing about him being gone, I needed to find a project to work on. I have been wanting to make one of these pettiskirts for Clara for quite a while, but have been a little apprehensive about starting. A few days before he left I started researching them again and decided it would be the perfect project to work on the nights he was gone.

I started out watching a clip from Martha Stewart, but she did nothing but confuse me. I kept browsing the Internet and came across many blogs of ladies who made them and others who had tried but given up. Finally I found a PDF pattern to download. From the reviews it sounded like it was perfect. It had pictures for each step and it was very detailed.

I started the project on a Saturday night and thought it would take a couple hours - wrong! I was right about it being something to distract me, it was very time consuming! I was able to work on it while the kids were asleep and it kept my mind off of being alone in the middle of the night.

I was hoping to finish it by the time Steve got home, but it took about a week to complete. Midway through the sewing I started getting angry and frustrated. For sure this was the stupidest project I had ever started and there was no way I was ever going to make another one - yet finish this one!

Then the clouds parted and I finished the first layer. I had figured out some tricks and some ways to make the sewing go faster. The second layer went really fast and I was able to finish it. As soon as it was complete I was in love with it and was already making plans for my next one.

If by chance you found my blog by searching pettiskirt tutorial here are a few tips. I was so happy to find tips on other blogs - they really helped.

1. Buy a pattern with pictures. The one I have linked is great, and I know there are other ones out there.

2. Make sure you use Nylon Chiffon Tricot. It will not unravel when you cut it.

3. Change your sewing needle to a very fine needle.

4. Instead of starting from the top and working down, start from the bottom and work up. It is so much easier to sew the ruffle fluff on a piece of straight fabric instead of a piece of ruffled fabric.

5. You can buy the fabric already cut on this website. When I make Clara's Halloween skirt, I am going to buy it here. I bought mine at a local store (for those who are local, go to Heddies). The chiffon being precut into the size strips you need will save you a ton of work.

6. There is no need to gather a really really really long strip of chiffon for the fluff. I cut the strips into 60 inch increments and then ruffled those while sitting in front of the TV. I brought each 60 inch strip down to 8-10 inches. When you sew them on the skirt just overlap them a little. No one will ever know.

7. These skirts leave a lot of room for error. There is so much fluff and so many layers that nobody is going to see an uneven seam. I started out the first layer by overlocking everything, but it is not necessary. I didn't overlock the second layer and I think it turned out even better.

Now for the unbelievable stats: This skirt was made using 7 (60 inch width) yards of chiffon. The chiffon was cut into different tiers. I made 75 strips of 2 x 60 ruffle fluff and sewed it onto 60 feet of skirt. Just because I like math - that is 375 feet of gathering. It took forever, but it was worth it!

After all that hard work, I still can not get a good picture of Clara in the skirt. I finally had to give in a give her a binky just so I could get her to sit still . Hopefully one of these days I will be able to get a decent picture instead of one like this...

Aren't all the kids wearing suits these days?

Thomas had preschool pictures on Wednesday. Guess who went upstairs and got dressed all by himself that day? I didn't have the heart to tell him that his suit jacket was too small and the pants were too big. I just told him how wonderful he looked and insisted that I get a picture of my own. I figured the photographer would just take head shots, but to my surprise she had the kids sitting in a let's-rest-your-elbow-on-your-knee pose that will show the whole ensemble - including the white socks and brown loafers.

I have a feeling these will be my favorite pictures EVER!

Those wildfires are making my bathroom mirror dirty.

Seriously. They are.

The smoke from the California fires have been drifting our way for about a week now. Even though the smoke gives the air a nice BBQ smell, and sometimes it makes the sky look a little overcast, and any change in the sky/weather is exciting news, it is not good on the kids with asthma. I had my fingers crossed that it wouldn't effect Thomas, but that was wishful thinking. On Wednesday he started with the runny nose and then by this morning it had traveled to his lungs. I started giving him breathing treatments on Monday to try and fight everything off, but it didn't work.

Last night I could hear it when he talked, there was an underlying honk to his tone. If you have kids with lung issues, you know exactly what I mean. If you don't, believe me - it was a honk- and be grateful your kids have good lungs.

Anyway....

We went out to dinner with some friends and halfway through dinner he was asking me to take him home because he didn't feel well. Steve and I met there after work so we had two cars. I took a couple bites of my dinner and decided I better take our little guy home.

When I got home, I gave him a breathing treatment and then made him go into the bathroom with the shower on to try and steam out his lungs. I went upstairs to put Clara to bed and then returned downstairs. When I walked by the bathroom I heard him singing. I cracked the door open and saw him standing in the sink washing my mirrors with a sponge and soapy water, while singing his heart out at the top of his stuffy lungs. I grabbed my camera and snapped him before he saw me.

When he finished his steam treatment, he came out and asked me to come look at the mirrors he had just cleaned. Of course I told him that looked wonderful and thanked him for his hard work.

And today I have enjoyed my beautiful, dirty mirrors every time I walked by the bathroom.

New skill

Guess what Clara learned how to do?

We've graduated

From Masking

to Duct.

Ginormous Day

Today was our little guys first day of preschool. He was so excited! He goes in the afternoon, which is a great thing because he is not a morning person. Today he slept in until 10:30! When he woke up he was so ready to go!

He packed his green backpack and then I made him take the traditional go-stand-on-the-front-porch picture to mark the occasion.

On our way, we made a stop at his favorite store, Fresh and Easy, so he could pick some flowers out for his teacher. I let him chose what ones he thought she would like.

Doesn't he look so excited. He actually was excited about picking the flowers, just not having me take a picture of every move inside the neighborhood market. How embarrassing!

He thought about taking her this succulent because it was green, his favorite color. He then decided it wasn't pretty enough because it didn't have flowers on it.

He then thought about taking one of these Cati, but decided they were way too sharp.

He finally decided on a large potted flower, the biggest one there. Good choice. I thought the orange flowers looked appropriate for a preschool teacher.

He was then insistent that we picked out a card for her. I showed him the ones that were appropriate for the occasion, but he had his heart set on the happy birthday duck card. Oh well, I tried to guide him, but I felt it was more important that he pick it out.

He couldn't wait to get it into the envelope and didn't want to write anything on the inside, only the outside envelope.

We got to preschool about 10 minutes early so we waited in the car. He was bouncing everywhere - so excited!!!

Finally it was 12:29 - the time I said he could get out of the car. He jumped out and made the long walk I have been dreading. How did my baby become old enough to go to preschool??? Didn't I have him last month???

He presented them like a true gentleman.

Thomas and Mrs. M. We are so excited to have her as a teacher.

Clara cried and cried. She did not want her brother to go. Surprisingly, I was very well composed. I didn't cry, I think I was too excited for him.

Three hours later I went to pick him up. He was thrilled! He had a great time. The first thing he said to me was "Mom, I didn't have to go to time out!!!" He then said, "I had such a great time!"

Clara was so happy to have him back. She wouldn't let go of him when he climbed in the car.

He got into the car and showed me his project (which I am having a problem scanning) and then I started crying. I knew it would come. I was just so happy for him and a tad bit sad for me. My baby is growing up.

On our drive home I asked him about his day and he just kept talking and talking about everything the did. He asked me if I had heard a certain song and tried singing it. He was trying to remember all the words, but was having a hard time. I asked him about their cooking project and he told me that had made rice crispy treats. He said they were SOOOOO GOOOD. I asked if Mrs. M had used a secret ingredient and he replied, "yes, marshmallows!"

We then celebrated the day by going to get some frozen yogurt.

Worth getting up for

I laid in bed for about 15 minutes today wishing and hoping Clara would go back to sleep. She has a really bad habit of waking up about an hour before I would like her to. She will sit in her crib and make noises until I come in and rescue her. I finally gave in and made my way to her room. When I walked in she quickly stood up and said....

"I appy."

("I'm happy.")

When to worry...

Should I be worried that this little girl got up on a stage today, started dancing, and lifted up her shirt so everyone could see her "goods?" Something tells me I may want to keep her away from the strip.

Let's make a deal...

" Mom, can I have all your coins and I will buy you more when I get bigger?"

The Assistant

We are still around, still hot, and still counting down the days until fall. This last weekend Thomas, Clara and I abandoned Steve and the messy house and took off with Grandma Shirley to Southern California. My cousin asked if I would come and do a photo shoot with her 3 adorable boys. I gladly obliged because 1) It got me out of the heat for 48 hours and 2) it was a great opportunity to add to my portfolio and get some more practice. Clara was my assistant and made sure nobody walked off with my camera bag.

All about Clara Jane

Clara's word list:

mommy, daddy, puppy, pew-we, that stinks, cookie, here you go, thank you, please, uncle Tim, Harley, Crystal, grandma, more, drink, kitty, were'd it go, baby

She has a word for Thomas, but it's not very understandable.

When we say "I love you" she answers back with "I do."

Along with her words, she is a pro at animal sounds.

She loves to dance, do somersaults, and play in the backyard

These are her favorite shoes. (mine too) I took her to the shoe store because her feet decided to grow really fast. I had 2 pairs for her to pick from. She chose these ones and I was quite happy.

She may be a handful, but she is fun. It's hard to believe she is coming up on 20 months! She will be 2 before we know it!

Because I need to write this down.

Today we had swim day. Thomas has been looking forward to this day for about a month now. It was at the home of a family in our ward. By calling their pool a pool, you are insulting it. It is huge. It has multiple waterfalls, 3 slides and a couple very high waterfalls you can jump off. It's pretty impressive to put it mildly.

Thomas mastered jumping off the cliffs (at least 10-15 feet high) last time we went and has been so excited to do it again. Today he wanted me to join him. How do you tell a 4-year-old that you are kind of scared, not only of jumping, but jumping in front of a backyard full of ladies from the RS? I climbed up to the top of the cliff and tried to stall. Thomas pulled me down to his level and started rubbing my shoulders while singing me a song he made up on the spot about not being afraid to jump. It was so sweet. How could I back out? He then took my hand, lead me to the edge, looked up at me and said, "It's okay, Mom. I'll hold your hand the whole way."

And with that I plugged my nose and took the plunge.

Perception

"Mom, I had a dream last night that I was in the circus. I didn't do anything, but there were lot of clowns."

(I don't know about you, but that sounds like a nightmare to me!)

Must see tv.

If you are not watching Sesame Street, you are missing out. I love their music videos. I truly think that the producers of the show do these just for us moms who are at home with our kids. These are a few of my favorites...

I wish I had this one when I was teaching geometry to my old students.

This one has been one of my favorites for a while.

Is that really my job?

Thomas is growing up. A tad too fast if you ask me. One of the problems we have is he thinks he is an adult. When he gets reprimanded for doing something, he always turns around and uses the same "sayings" on us as we use on him. I have been asked "Mom, why are you acting this way?" or "You know I don't like it when you talk to me like that." It takes everything in me to keep a straight face and not laugh. Today it couldn't be helped, I lost it and couldn't stop laughing.

Thomas was running across the family room and stubbed his toe on Clara's sippy cup that was laying on the floor. He hit his toe, then grabbed it while falling towards the couch. I quickly came to his aid and asked if he was all right, but instead of answering my my question he very sternly said...

"Mom, why is that cup on the floor? Don't you know you are the cleaner around here?"

I should have set him straight right then, but I couldn't get a hold of myself. I was laughing. Really hard and loud! Maybe next time I teach him how it really is. I'm sure I'll have the chance.

(Would you believe this picture was in my files - crazy how perfect it fit this post!)