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!

It's officially Fall! We've been to the Pumpkin Patch

Saturday afternoon we headed out to Lone Pine Farms with Jeff's sisters and mom. The kids fed some goats and posed for outhouse pictures. Then we road the horse pulled "hayride" out to the pumpkin patch and picked pumpkins. It was so much fun to be all together as a family!


Alona feeding a goat.

Ashley grossed out by the saliva the goat left on her hand!

Ashley in the outhouse.


Trevin in the outhouse.

Natalie in the outhouse.

Ashten in the outhouse.

Alona in the outhouse.

Dylan in the outhouse.

Natalie came up to Dylan and grabbed his hand. They started walking together and it was too cute!

Ashley and Alona. It was a bit windy!

Picking our pumkins!

Alona found a big one! Made a good seat!

Jeff and Natalie. Jeff needs a haircut! (Did that the next day.)

Trevin, Ashten and Natalie found a half green pumpkin and decided to check it out.

I handed the camera to the kids! That never happens! Ashley took this one of Alona and Trevin.

Can you believe ther is actually a picture with me in it? We plan to get the kids a small digital for Christmas!

Alona took this one! See all the pumpkins! This was the ride back to pay for them.

Tagged (times two!)

7 things.....

1. I have lots of gray hair! (and I am not currently covering it up)

2. Anything pumpkin (food that is) reminds me of my Dad, and then Thanksgiving and Christmas and then Christmas caroling and sitting in the back of the van wishing I wasn't caroling because I was being a difficult teenager......

3. Jeff gets the kids off to the bus every morning while I sleep in! (I'm livin' the life!)

4. My childhood dream was to be a famous singer.

5. I love asparagus. yumm

6. Even with all the mistakes I've made, I wouldn't change anything even if I could. (I wouldn't have my life now if it weren't for all those mistakes)

7. I'm high maintenance! (but who didn't know that about me?)

I'm not tagging anyone this time.... You can do this if you feel up to it!

Next Tag:

4th and 4th Tag

So here are the rules of the game. Go to your pictures folder and take the fourth picture from the fourth file and post it. That's it.


This is a picture of my Mom (on the left) in Florida. She and my Dad went to the Hippocrates Health Institute to learn about a raw diet. This was one of her last pictures. How appropriate since this is breast cancer awareness month and she died in October as well! To all you women, please do self exams and get regular mammograms.

Zucchini Bread Yummmmm!

I made zucchini bread the other day, using the recipe Charles tried when he was here. Remember that disaster? Of course, I know what everything in my pantry really is, so it turned out well. I made another batch today. It is very moist and wonderful.
Here is the recipe:

4 c shredded zuchinni
3 c flour
2 1/2 c sugar
1 1/4 c vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
4 T + 1 t vanilla
1 T cinnamon
1 1/2 salt
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 c nuts, optional

Preheat oven 325. Grease 2 9x5x3 pans. Blend all ingredients on low speed for 1 min, scraping bowl. Beat at medium for 1 minute. Bake 50 min to 1 hour or more if neccesary. Cool for 10 min. and remove to cool completely.