Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

A girl's(& her mommy's) dream trip to American Girl Place!

Callie & I have been dreaming about stepping foot in the American Girl Place for an entire year!!!  We saved our pennies, nickels & dimes and finally Saturday was the day!!!  It literally took my breath away when I stepped in the store.  The amount of dolls & accessories, not to mention shoppers was a tad overwhelming.  We just didn't know WHERE to look first!!!  The guys in the family didn't last but a few minutes before they made a hasty exit!  Too much pink I suppose....lol
Here is the doll Callie chose to buy with her 'dollars' she had saved.  She had saved all her money for quite some time and had around half the purchase price.  Mommy chipped in and paid for the rest.  You see, I have dreamed for YEARS of owning one of these dolls so I was glad to help my daughter out.  One day, I will go back and buy myself my very own. :)  For now, I will be happy 'playing' with Callie's new doll.
 Callie really wanted the accessories that went along with her doll, Kanani.  I told her that she would have to save up for those and get them later. 
 In the background is a striped dress/leggings set that Callie wants me to make her.  I'd much rather sew it myself than pay the sticker price on the matchy doll/girl outfits. 
 In line to buy her very first American Girl doll. 
 Making a sun visor.
 After she got her visor all decorated, she was too embarrassed to put it on.  Later that day, she wore it on our walk downtown.
 She liked going up and down the escalator.  I ran down the escalator so I could snap this picture and if Callie hadn't warned me, I'd have fallen off the end!!!  I was so intent on getting a picture I wasn't paying attention about what was behind me.  Dear me....that would have been quite the sight!!
More vacation pictures coming.....

Monday, July 25, 2011

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!!!



Thursday, June 30, 2011

~Callie's 'Tangled inspired' 5th. Birthday~

Callie's 5th. Birthday fell on a Wednesday.  Sooooo.....after a full day of music teaching and Kid's Club, her party started around 9:00PM after church.
 Blue jello 'water' with orange slice boats.
 Food served up in frying pans!
 Cheese and pepperoni boats
 Frying Pan Flynn Game
Seth drew the poster for me.
 All the cousins
 Pascal party blowers for each party guest.
 Callie with her gifts.
 A tiny Rapuzel doll with accessories.
 A beautiful dress from Grandpa and Grandma.
 Princess game from Seth.
 A pretty card and money for her doll fund.  She's saving for an American Girl doll.:)
 Pastor Mark trying to give Callie her gift.  She hid under the table 'cause she didn't want anyone to see her get the gift.  lol  It was some more money for her doll fund.
 She was pretty happy to see her cake!!  The entire family had kept the entire theme/cake a secret. 
 Can't believe our baby girl is 5!!!
 Callie wanted ice cream in her purple-white chocolate covered sugar cone that was on the top of the cake.
 This was taken just seconds after I caught her wiping her ice cream covered face on the tablecloth!!  Grandpa was howling!!!:)
 We had the Tangled movie playing for the kids/grown-ups.:)  I do not get into animated movies, but this was one I really liked.  I just love a good fairytale.
 I sewed this Rapunzel dress for Callie on Tuesday.  It was a BIG hit!!!  The Rapunzel hair was made out of an entire skein of fluffy, thick yellow yarn. 
 She flitted around the living room after the party guests had left, singing the song from the movie.
 throwing the hair up in the air....
 And of course, her doll, Jenny, had to have a matching dress.  This, I made up Wednesday afternoon after my music teaching and party preparation was finished.

 Jenny's Rapuzel dress.....
 A close-up of the bodice.  Simon helped cut out the front piece for the dress.  It was his idea to sew her doll a new outfit. I didn't think we would have time, but I made it work.  :)
 Duane and I caught the boys playing with Callie's new Rapunzel toys. :)  Just had to get a picture.....lol
This was a super-fun party to put together!!