thursday breakfast

Thursday is our CC day, so we are up early and going all day long.  I am constantly looking for  breakfast options that will stick with the kids through the morning, but that don't take a lot of effort and time to make.  Well, a couple of weeks ago Meg blogged about finding this at Walmart and I knew I had to try it out.  So next time we were at The Mart we picked one up, and all the fixing for sausage and egg bagels, and guess what?  The kids loved it! This will definitely be our go to Thursday morning breakfast for the rest of CC.

i could stand in no longer

My little sewing corner had gotten out of control.  I did not take a before picture, but you can see it back there in the right corner (piled high with craft supplies and sewing projects) of this photo I took last week while I was moving my book shelf.

Last night I pulled everything off the desk and sorted and cleaned.  I put all my projects in bags and then into my new Project Box...

They are labeled and ready to by pulled out and worked on when ever I have a few moments to spare.

This was my fun thrift store find last week. 

I am quickly filling up all those drawers with notions and such.

And here is my little corner, all nice and clean- ready and waiting for me to come and sew something :)

Only problem?  I still have 3 boxes of goodies with no place to go!

a beauitiful january day

It was such a gorgeous day today, we decided it was the perfect day to redeem our Pizza Hut Book-It rewards and have a picnic in the back yard.  The kids asked if I was going to come outside with them, because apparently I never go outside (except to get in the car, according to Regan).

So, outside we all went for a lovely picnic in the sunshine... that coke down there is your proof that I actually ate outside :)

And stayed outside long after the other kids had abandoned their picnic and most had headed back inside.

I cozied up in my furry blanket and played some Words With Friends...

And eventually Regan came back out to finish up her Essentials work for the day.

free february embroidery pattern

I finished stitching up my February embroidery piece over the weekend.  I am hoping to get started on March soon, but I've promised Max that I won't sew anything else until I finish his robe :)

In case you are curious about the details, I am sewing on an 8" square of white Kona Cotton and using wool-felt bought from this etsy shop and DMC embroidery floss (so far mostly 3 strands, but that will vary more in the next pattern).  I plan to border them in some fun cotton prints and possibly add some other embellishments when I've finished all the squares and can see the project all together.
February Pattern
Don't forget, if you stitch up your own version of my pattern I would LOVE to see it!  Please share pictures in my Flickr group!

random monday

Thanks so much for all your congratulations last week! We are all really excited about adding another brother or sister to the pack :)

So, since I found out I was pregnant I have been trying really hard to keep up with life around here, but lots of things have fallen through the cracks... like I have not checked my etsy shop since before Christmas, I don't even know if there is even anything in it anymore!  And I still have not finished the kids Christmas pajamas!  I did get two robes sew on Saturday, but still have another robe and the boys shirts left to sew... at this rate they will get them just in time for it to be too warm to wear flannel... who am I kidding, this winter has been so warm they have not needed their flannel jammies yet!

I also realized the other day, when thinking about things I have not blogged yet, that I have not mentioned anything about the new church plant we have joined, and that's a pretty major life change for us!  Long story short, we were approached last fall with an opportunity to serve with a new PCA (Presbyterian Church of America) church in our area.  After much prayer we decided to join the plant.  It was bitter sweet leaving our old church- they were (still are) like family to us and we loved the 6 years that we served with them, but we are super excited about this new direction that God is leading us in.  We started meeting as a core team this month and will "go public" in late March.

Just to add to the randomness, here are some picture I took the other night at dinner.  The hubby was reading to the kids and I was trying to catch this sweet moment of Lulu on her dad's shoulders and the other kids leaning in the see picture on the page (He's reading Little House in the Big Woods) but you know as soon as they see the camera everything changes and they all started hamming it up.  This is what I got instead...

I'll be back tomorrow with my February pattern.  Happy Monday!

i've been keeping something from you...

We found out just after Thanksgiving that I was expecting! I really wanted to be excited, but if I am completely honest I have to tell you that, after my miscarriage last spring, I was mostly worried.  I was happy to see the baby's little heart beating in a sono at about 6 weeks, and then again at 8.5 weeks.  I had made it past the point of my last miscarriage and finally started to allow myself to get excited.  We told the kids on Christmas but decided to wait to share the news with everyone one else until after my 12 week appointment.  

I had my appointment last week and not only got to see my little baby wiggling around but also got a sound recording of the heart beat!  (Now if I could only figure out how to get it out of my text messages and onto my computer!)  We are beyond excited around here :)

got any painting advise?

Yesterday I did a little rearranging to the school area of our great room which has had me all mixed up trying to find books and put them away today :)  That book case used to be on the other side of the room- near the TV, and my cabinet with all my fabric in it was there instead, but I decided that the cabinet will work better in the living area- even if it means I have to walk across the room to fetch my fabric.  I think I like the switch so far.

And just to keep it real... this is what it looks like when you pan out... still quite a bit of work to do before I am done with this little room re-do :)

I posted this dark and depressing photo on Facebook the other day asking for input on a new color scheme and weather to keep the chair rail or tear it out (the general consensus was to keep it).  I am pretty sure I want at least half of the wall to be white (Sweet Vanilla by Behr to be exact- its the color that is in our kitchen) and the other half ?.  It is a big and busy room, so I don't want anything too overwhelming.  I actually really love the whole cottage look- white walls, brightly colored accessories, but am not sure about painting the walls all white with the chair rail.   The truth is, we have so much crammed into this space that you barely see the lower part of the walls except in a few spaces.

 We are in the  (slow) process of tearing out all the carpet and painting the sub floors (until we can afford the hard wood we really want).  Right now the plan is to paint the floors Slate Pebble (another Behr color) which is a taupe color (a shade grayer than the upper walls in the kitchen). I'd love to hear your ideas!