Is it REALLY the end of July ALREADY!!!!!????

I simply canNOT believe this is the last week of July already!!  Summer has went by in a blur.....Here are some pictures of the last couple of weeks.....

Some might call me crazy, but last Sunday afternoon, in between packing for youth camp and church services and lunch preparations, I sewed Callie a new dress that she wore to church that evening!!  You see, I had requested to be a tester for a new pattern that was coming out. Well, the pattern designer was all filled up for that particular size.  I forgot all about it, until receiving an e-mail Sunday right before lunch.  She asked if I was still interested.  Someone wasn't able to make the size I had signed up for.  The only problem was....she needed it sewn in the next 2-3 days!!!!  Well....I was leaving for camp THAT NIGHT!!!!  I REALLY wanted to test the pattern out.....so I told her if I got the pattern e-mailed to me that afternoon I could do it.  I got it after lunch and while my dear father-in-law and sons were washing dishes I was printing and cutting out a new pattern to sew up in a flash.  Less than 2.5 hours later here was the end result.   

I just love this pattern and so does Callie.  We have fabric for a couple more waiting to be sewn up now.

 It's plenty long enough that it should last for an entire year...hopefully!!  :)

 Every year one of the local schools has an enormous garage sale.  The kids and I eagerly look forward to going.  On the last day of the sale, you can fill a bag for just $1!!!!  I stuffed 3 bags full of clothes.  Most of these clothes will be used to up-cycle into other clothes for Callie to wear this fall.  This will make her wardrobe very cheap to sew and I'll have a blast doing it! :)  I was happy to find some XL men's tech shirts that will be turned into shirts for me.  Also found 5 pairs of brand-new condition men's dress/casual pants for Duane!  Another find, not pictured, was a bean bag chair.  I needed some bean pellets for some sewing projects. They are very expensive to buy.  Now I have more than enough!!!!  The kids found some toys and the total amount spent.....$3!!!!!

All washed and drying on the clothesline.  Have I mentioned how much I LOVE hanging clothes out to dry!!???;)

 Callie found a purse to add to her collection.  I don't think she quite knew what it said on the front, but it made me smile.

 This is what Seth looked like last weekend before we left for camp.  This was after 2 doses of steroids.  When he woke up on Saturday morning, one eye was completely swollen shut and the other was almost.  By Sunday night, on the medication, he looked almost normal again.  He must have got into some sort of poison ivy plant weeding the flower bed for me.

 Found some leopard print knit in the weight I use for my running skirts.  I couldn't resist buying some and making this up.  Now to make a co-ordinating shirt.  lol

Callie and I went shopping at JA's on Friday.  She had fun picking out another doll clothes pattern.  They were just .99 cents last week.  She is planning on 'helping' mommy make the denim dress in the lower right-hand corner for her doll, Jenny.  She also picked out the pink heart-shaped buttons for the dress.  The crayon fabric will be for her first day of Kindergarten dress. She wanted me to take this picture so her Aunt Sarah (in the Philippines) could see what she bought.  :)

On Friday, Samuel was invited to a b-day party the following day. Of course, I just had to sew up something for the birthday boy.  :)  I was shopping at Wal-Mart and found this fun activity pads for Hangman and Tic-Tac-Toe.  What kid doesn't love playing those games.  I bought them Saturday morning, came home, found some fabric and make this little art case to hold them in.  Also sewed up a gift bag to put it all in.  I NEVER have wrapping paper or tape in my house, but ALWAYS having plenty of fabric to wrap a gift it.....lol. 

 I would have loved to have an applique on the front of the case, but time was clicking by FAST!!!  The part was at noon....sooooo, I had to make do with just a plain outside. ;(

 Samuel, with his gift, all excited to go to the party!!

 A close-up of the card Samuel made for Caleb.  I thought it made a cute gift tag for the bag. :)

 My sister-in-law Teresa also celebrated her birthday on Saturday.  We had a fun cook-out with the family and of course, I had to see what kind of fun gift I could give this year.  I love giving gifts, this year it was a Hawaiian-themed outfit.  I found an orange grass skirt with accessories. 

 Doesn't Jerry look cute with the grass skirt!! :)

 The yummy-looking-3-different-kinds-of-candy-bar-birthday cake!!  Can you guess which 3 I used?

 We also had tons of fun shopping later that evening trying on all sorts of silly stuff.  We ended the evening with a yummy meal at Chipotle.

 Happy Birthday, Teresa!!!



~Storms, Sales & Supper~

Decided it was time to have my first ever garage sale at this house.  There was rain in the forecast, but I pushed ahead, praying all the while, that it wouldn't rain.  The dark clouds were ominous as my brother-in-law, Richard & my father-in-law helped me set up that morning.  I was having faith that it would NOT rain.  My dear BIL told me something to the tune of that's what the people were saying back in Noah's day before the world was flooded!!!!  Needless to say, I was quite discouraged when it poured BUCKETS, but I thought it was neat that God sent my biggest customer during the storm.  He does answer prayers, just not in the way we expected Him to! :)

There is something disturbing about seeing all the junk piled in front of ones' home for all to see and go through.  All in all it was a good sale.  Over $100 dollars of stuff that was just filling up the already full house!! :)  I hauled the leftovers to the salvation army.

Callie rode her bike around in between customers.

After the day-long garage sale, we had a fish fry.  Duane & Richard had been fishing the previous day.  Richard breaded and fried up a mess of perch for us.  He is the best fish fryer around!!!  It was super-yummy!!!!  We also had fresh-picked-from-our-garden corn on the cob and homemade french fries! 

Our cousin, An'drea relaxing with the kids outside.

Folks, the last few weeks, my house has been REAL!!!!  I've been soooo busy trying to keep up landry, teaching lessons, doing Callie's homeschool, cooking food for everyone, getting garage sale stuff ready, and helping my SIL sew, that the housework has PILED up.  Please excuse all clutter/junk/etc.....in the background of my pictures!!!! :)

The fish-fryer takin' a break!!