A Great Sunday Afternoon

As a mom, don't you just love it when you know you have an allotment of time when you know nobody is going to bother you?

Okay....I know what you're thinking:  Jen, you're at home alone five days a week!

Yes, I know, I know.  But somehow I get more done when I only have a short amount of time to accomplish a list of things;  deadlines make me so efficient. When I have a whole empty ahead of me, I tend to daydream about what I could do instead of actually doing something! 

So today, whilst the troops were frolicking in the snow building forts and sled runs, I did this.  Isn't she cute?

I made her using a pattern from bitofwhimsy.

She was lots of fun to make. I used terry cloth from an old project. Anyone ever used terry cloth in their sewing machine? Wow, what a mess!!!  Little bits of fluff everywhere!  Oh well, I still think she's a cutie!

Take just one moment....

Anyone who knows me at all knows that there certain things that I hate.

There are many things that I don't like (let's be honest, I'm a bit of complainer) but there a few specific things that I really and truly hate:

(1) the size of my behind

(2) when there is no chocolate in the cupboard (see no. 1) and

(3) cancer.

Sometimes just hearing that word can send me into a downward spiral of sadness and anger. 

It makes me sad that my mom and dad aren't here anymore....that they never got the chance to hold Rachel.

It makes me sad that Colette isn't here anymore to tell me her views on how I could do something better.

Even though these three special people each had a different form of cancer, in my opinion, cancer of any kind is the enemy.

So if there something you or I can do to help someone get ahead of the enemy, I believe we should.

Pray, donate, volunteer, click.

Yes, that's right click.

If you go to

thebreastcancersite.com

 and click (it's totally free), you can help someone (someone's mom, best friend, sister) fight the fight against breast cancer.

It will take less than 60 seconds and perhaps it can save a life.

Let's End Texting While Driving

We all hear sad stories.

Stories about how there was an accident. 

Oh, that's so terrible, we say. 

Why did that happen?, we ponder.

That should never have happened, we determine.

Well, probably 98% of all things that "should not have happened" happen because of a single choice that was made.    A choice that did not have to be made.  But "I just wanted to make a quick call."  Or "I'll just send a quick text."

If you're driving, drive!  Nothing else! 

I can promise you nothing that is said in that "quick" call or text is worth the life of my family or anyone else.

Put down your phone.  Pull over.  Park your car. 

My family thanks you.

The Real Message..well, what we got out of it anyway!

We are officially the biggest fans of American Girl. Well, not officially, but big fans nonetheless.  The first doll arrived in 2005, beautiful Marisol, to be followed by the Bitty Twins and the Just-Like-Me doll, and countless outfits, shoes, and accessories.

Imagine the excitement when there was to be an in-theatres-only movie of Kit Kittredge in the summer of 2008. Well, we waited patiently, checking the movie listings in the newspaper everyday only to realized the dream wasn't happening for us. We had to wait for Santa to bring a DVD copy at Christmas.  But worth the wait it was; Rachel has probably watched it 30 times (me, at least 10). 

Then came Chrissa in January, 2009.  (Thank goodness that movie came out directly to DVD.) The story is about standing up to bullies and that it is not wrong to tell someone if that is happening.  Great movie; led to lots of discussions of growing up, being kind, and being strong.

Where is this commercial for American Girl going?  Hang on.

In the movie some of the girls had these cute knit winter hats that allowed a ponytail to "pop" through.  So, despite all the lessons learned about self-esteem and being a good friend, what did we walk away with in our minds?  Those hats!!!  We had to have one (or two...)!  So begins my attempts at knitting a hat.  Funny, isn't it? Me? Knit?  Craziness!

Santa Art had brought a knitting loom for Christmas that year and off we went.  Twenty attempts later, hat-happiness was created!  A new one was requested for this winter....a girl just can't have enough accessories, can she?

Once in a while, I actually feel a wee bit of pride for pulling it off.  It's a hard audience to please around here.

Happy Birthday, Elisabeth!!!

Our delicious little cousin Elisabeth turned the big "6" yesterday.  It is simply amazing how fast time goes by...it seems only yesterday that her dad called and gushed of her arrival.  Elisabeth has a bubbly personality, always smiling and cheerful.  So we decided to create a little bubbly girl just for her.

Thanks to bitof whimsy for such a cute pattern!

A New Year's Commitment That Can and Will Be Kept!!

Every year I torture myself about how "this will be the year that...."   Well, every year I disappoint myself with failure.

This year my poor old self-esteem simply cannot take any more.  So....I have decided to perhaps scale back my aspirations in an attempt to build a more positive self-image. And, if by some incredible gift from Above, I actually accomplish something great (you know, fit those old jeans...be able to pay the oil bill...be a better mom), it will simply be icing on my cake!

So my mini-resolution is to.....keep my darn kitchen counter clean!!!   No crumbs...no papers...no receipts...no crafty bits....well, you get the idea. Perhaps it sounds like too small of a challenge but...have you ever seen my countertops?  I'm quite sure Martha Stewart would faint and those who know me also know how I want to be just like her.  I have come to the conclusion that when your surroundings are uncluttered so, too, is your mind and life.

Here is my new daily goal.  Wish me luck!


By the way, we did not choose the blue countertop. It was here when we moved in and rather than put in new ($$$) we have chosen to embrace it.

"Little B"

So my dear friend Karen D. asked me if I could make a dolly for her darling daughter Brenna...of course, I say....but not a ballerina...okay...a figure skater...oh my. 

Now, I love a good crafting challenge, but really...how do I make skate blades?!  Not quite the same as a ballet slipper, is it? 

Please meet Figure Skating star, Lil' B!!

Thanks for the challenge, Karen!  I hope your B likes Lil' B.