How it's been.....

Obviously from the Thanksgiving pictures Charles was here. He got in around 1 pm on Thanksgiving. We sat down to eat about an hour later. The turkey was very juicy. They company was very pleasant. And, of course, dessert was yummy! We had dessert at my In-Law's house. Then we came back and ate more turkey, followed by a looong soak in the hot tub. Charles and I discussed our childhood. He remembers vividly the way I would get so annoyed with all the noise- in a family with 11 children there is a bit of noise. I was quite the loud mouth, always yelling at everyone. Not much has changed, hehehehe. We got a little Rock Band 2 in on Friday with Charles and pretty much did nothing all day. Actually, Jeff helped Josh work on the stereo system to his new car. Charles did the dishes! He is good at that. It is so nice to have a clean kitchen. Saturday, we took Charles out to Hole In The Wall BBQ for lunch. The kids went to a friends house, so it was just the adults. Then Charles left. Apparently my house is not conducive to studying. I was sad to see him go, but not until I burned him a couple Christmas CDs to listen to in the car. Then I took Ashley to Barnes and Noble where her ballet school was having a book fair/fundraising event. She got to see four girls perform. And she got the set of Felicity books from the American Girl collections. She is really getting into that now.
I have plenty of sewing projects for Christmas presents to keep me busy for the next couple weeks, so I am off to get started!

Thanksgiving Spread

This is our Thanksgiving Feast! We also have rolls and an Emerald Salad, but they are not pictured.
Our Turkey turned out sooooooo moist! It was delicious.

If you double click on the picture it will enlarge and you'll be able to see how moist it is!


Candied Yams.


Charles pretending to carve the Turkey-it was my job.


The non carved half of the Turkey. Isn't it beautiful?


The line-up.


Cranberry Orange Apple Relish


Stuffing.


Mashed Potatoes by Jeff.

We are all full and sleepy and watching WALL-E.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Family Pictures

Marianne came over and photographed the family last night! Here are a few of the 90 pictures we got! We are doing a fun picture this year, but you have to wait to see that one! We just love the pillow fight pics!

Stamping

The girls were stamping today, can you tell?

Hooded towels

Today I decided to organize my dining/temporary sewing room. I figured the best way to do this is to use up some of the fabric and supplies that are just sitting there. I opted to start with the hooded towels I started many, many years ago. It was probably 4-5 years ago! It took me all of 15 minutes to sew 4 of them! For instructions click here. All you need is one bath towel and one hand towel. One hand towel will make 2 hoods, so you may as well get another bath towel and make two. Here is one of the towels:


Both pictures are of the same towel- not sure why the color is so different! I put the hood on a little different than how it is in the instructions. I made two this way, and two the way in the instructions.

The Faces of Natalie

Here is Natalie's slideshow!

Ashley's many faces

If I make a slideshow of Alona, of course I have to do one for Ashley and Natalie as well. So here is Ashley's!

Christmas gift ideas.......

I am looking for ideas for Christmas gifts that I can make. Anyone have any suggestions?
I would like them to be fairly quick and easy, yet classy and well received!
Thanks!
Oh, yes, and they would be for friends and family (adults- both male and female)!

This is how we make lunch fun!

We found these cute sandwich cutters at Fred Meyer. We have 3 different kinds- 2 dinosaurs, 2 dolphins with a heart in between, and 2 hearts. Today was dino day. And the kids insisted on cups with lids and a straw! What is it about straws that make drinks so enticing?

Alona's dinos and drink


Natalie was eating one dino, and took the head off the other!

Following my blog

They added a new gadget for the sidebar! People who regularly read blogs can now become Followers. It sounds a bit silly! But it is pretty neat. I will be able to see how many people are reading my blog! Add yourself if you read my blog! I want to be popular! (just kidding) But please, add yourself so I have an idea of how many people out there like my blog!
Thanks

The Thousand Faces of Alona (well, maybe only 86....)

There are a lot of pictures in this slide show, but it gets pretty funny! Well worth watching- at least in my biased opinion!

Nothin' Much

We haven't had a whole lot out of the norm going on around our house. Jeff got the hot tub up and running about 2 weeks ago. I've been in once. He took Ashley and Alona out for a soak yesterday. They loved it. Jeff has also fixed a few things around the house. The kitchen sink was having real problems draining. It would get backed up and when you turned on the garbage disposal water and junk would come out in the other drain. He went to the home improvement store and found a drain pipe with a baffle plate that blocks anything from going back up the other side. Now it drains perfectly and I don't have to turn my garbage disposal off and on for a second over and over again. Yipppeeeee!
Jeff got asked to help with the scouts. I think he would be an assistant scout master? Not sure though. He said he is going to mull it over for a bit before he decides.
I am actually thinking ahead this year and am planning our family picture for this Wednesday. My friend Marianne has agreed to take the pictures and her husband will help her scout out a cool architectural place at the U of O to take them. I might get the Christmas cards out before Christmas this year! Sure beats February- like last year (or this year, technically). Be on the lookout- I will post pictures after the shoot!

Stamps and Art Tutorials

My friend, Marianne, is the most talented artist I have met. She has been working on some stamps found here. She also has a blog that is pretty much an art tutorial. It is very informative. She is incredibly intelligent and oh so talented! If you like to do anything creative you should check it out!

Funny Face

Jeff must have gotten the camera out while I was gone one day this summer. I just found this picture of Alona in iPhoto when I was looking for pictures of Natalie. It was too cute!


Alona has always had the best expressions I have ever seen. This one is by far the funniest. She is very expressive facially. She makes faces for every mood and emotion. I will have to try to compile a slide show of her different faces.

Some Lil Tiny Bags For M' Natalie

Natalie refers to her things a m'Natalie's (mine Natalie's). She also thinks anything she owns is lil tiny, because she is the little one in the family. So she took over a tote bag I made for Jessica and was so excited about it. She carried it around the house until we left to take it to Jessica. Jessica wasn't there, so we left it on the door. Natalie cried because she didn't get to see her, but more importantly, because we were leaving the bag. I promised to make her a bag. I finally got it done. (finally being a week or so later- which is actually pretty good, for me)
Of course, if I make one for Natalie then I must make one for Ashley and Alona as well. So off to the fabric store we went one day. Ashley was at school, so it was Alona, Natalie, and myself as Ashley had picked a fabric a while back. They each picked out two fabrics for a reversible bag.
I cut down the Amy Butler Swing Bag pattern I used previously for gifts. It is the perfect bag for the kids to take their coloring supplies to church. The pattern is quick and easy. I got each one done in less than 1 hour. Only took a little under 3 hours of my Saturday evening. The kids absolutely love them!


Ashley's is the lavender paisley bag. Alona picked out the ladybugs on green. Natalie liked the dots!


Alona wanted a picture in her new hat and scarf!


Ashley did, too! She put the hat on backwards!


Of course, Natalie insisted on a picture, too. Its like she's giving herself a hug! Awww!

On a roll!

A sewing roll, that is! I finished Natalie's curtains! Here is a picture of one side! The flash I have on my camera isn't good enough to take a full picture- it turns out too dark.


So here is my updated list(Why don't they have check marks in any fonts? Why am I stuck using a square root?):

√ 1. finish putting sewing room together
√ 2. sew curtains
√ 3. finish slipcover
4. paint all the trim everywhere in the house (ugh)
√ 5. clean Natalie's room (hahahahaha)
√ 6. find somewhere to store all the ominous bins of girls clothes they will grow into some day, but can't wear yet so I have to find somewhere to put them........
7. RELAX (if I can find the time)
8. Finish the quilts for √ 1. Ashley and 2. Alona

My List! (and yes, I checked something off)

√ 1. finish putting sewing room together
2. sew curtains
√ 3. finish slipcover
4. paint all the trim everywhere in the house (ugh)
√ 5. clean Natalie's room (hahahahaha)
√ 6. find somewhere to store all the ominous bins of girls clothes they will grow into some day, but can't wear yet so I have to find somewhere to put them........
7. RELAX (if I can find the time)
8. Finish the quilts for √ 1. Ashley and 2. Alona

I started this list back in April. It had three only three tasks that I needed to accomplish. Then I added to it. I actually accomplished one of the tasks! It was quite a feat for me! Now, as you can see, I have checked off a few more tasks. Natalie's room has been cleaned, but returns to a state of chaos regularly. At least now it is her things and not things I am just storing in there. And I added the quilts to the list. I am proud to announce the completion of Ashley's quilt. Alona's will be identical, but I still need to tie and bind it. I plan to make Natalie's curtains first. I am really trying to finish all my sewing projects that are taking up space in my dining room right now. We have someone staying in my sewing room for awhile, and all my sewing equipment and supplies got moved to the dining room. Thank goodness we don't have a dining room table yet! As for the painting of the trim, I am still putting that one off indefinitely! I am really dreading that one!


Ashley's quilt!

Jack O'Lanterns and Costumes

We carved these two pumpkins on Thursday!

Ashley picked the cat and I carved it for her.


Alona picked the silly face and Jeff carved it.


I didn't have to make costumes this year! Ashley was Belle again this year. Alona wore her Cinderella costume from a few years ago. Natalie was supposed to wear the cute Eeyore costume I made for Ashley when she was two, but she wanted a pretty dress like her sisters. So I bought this ballerina thing on Thursday. I got a year off from the mad rush of sewing costumes the day they need them!

Our Halloween Party

We decided to have a party for Halloween this year. My friend Celina offer to have it at her house. That was great! I didn't have to clean and organize my house for it! Yay! There were probably 35-40 people in attendance!
We had a dinner of soup, stew in a pumpkin, and turkey chili all served with rolls. Knowing how much our kids love soup and stew, we also made mummy dogs. Then we went trick-or-treating.

The Trick-or-Treating line- we were very organized!


More of the line.


We had a mummy wrapping contest when we returned.


What Halloween party is complete without bobbing for apples! Alona bobbing!


Ashley catching hers and she got it out!


Celina helped the kids turn them into caramel apples.


Alona with her caramel apple. Yumm!

We have a chili cookoff/trunk-or-treat at the church tonight. Maybe I will get more pictures to post!