Models, Not Enthusiastic

Last week, I promised pictures of my creations...I made two pair of pants for Bonnie (my picky teenager) and a skirt for Malena (my not-so-picky tween).

Couldn't get either of them to model for me, though. I swear, they are just so stubborn sometimes (wonder where they get that from?)!

Well, here's the 411 on Bonnie's pants. We have been shopping uptown and downtown and everywhere in-between for pants and shoes for this girl. She is so picky, though - it has to be very comfortable the minute she tries it on, or it is a reject. I finally just bought her shoes online, and she actually liked three of those pair. A miracle, let me tell you.

The pants, though, I wasn't having any luck at all, even online. So I went to JoAnn's and picked out two patterns. The first could be made in comfy materials for a pajama pant, or more day-to-day knits, like a workout or legging-type pant. The second was a more structured pant, but still very comfortable.

So I started on the first, having picked out pajama-like material. That way, even if it doesn't turn out exactly perfect, she can just wear it to bed, right?

Here's the problem with ultra-cuddle fleece: you cannot see your seam, or pick it out should you accidentally make any mistakes. Not that I would do that, right? I have been sewing for over thirty years (okay, that sounded like a really long time, but I did start in second grade). Oh my, did I make a few mistakes. I put the pockets on the wrong way. Couldn't unpick it, so I had to cut it off. Then I realized that I even cut it out wrong, due to my insistence upon not cutting up the pattern. That's right: I left all those other lines on there and tried to cut between the pattern and the material. And chose the wrong line to cut. After readjusting a little, the pants were going to be too short.

Pretty much a fiasco. But they did end up not only finished, but with Bonnie wearing them:

See? A little short. You can also see the pooky pockets, since my alterations did not add up to a flat pocket. Goofy job, there.

The skirt for Malena went much more smoothly...until I wanted her to model for me. She stepped on something - or got bit by some insect - on the balls of both feet on Thursday. Then had an allergic reaction to whatever it was, and is now staying off her feet because it itches and/or hurts. Suck it up, sweetie. I know, nice mom, huh? Believe me, four days of moaning will drive anyone to distraction.

Back to the skirt. While I was making it, Sophia kept asking, "That mine?" and I kept promising, "You can try it on, but it's Malena's." To which she replied "Okay!" So she was my model. Although she didn't want to stand still enough to get a good picture.

She did take a bow, though. And was a little excited, in case you can't tell. She got so into the whole modelling process, she decided to model Malena's boots, while she was at it...

And Jack tried to get into the action by interrupting that picture. Crazy kids.

Like I said, there is one more pair of pants that is finished. If I ever get Bonnie to try them on, you'll be the first to see it. I know, Good. Luck.

Hope you have a great Thanksgiving week - we're going into non-internet land for much of it, so not sure I'll be able to post for 'ya. But I am so thankful for all of my readers (be they family or friends)!

Here a Little, There a Little

Doug has been crossing more things off his list. He did, for example, finish finishing the handrail for our stairs. It's finished and re-installed. Just in time for me to start going up and down the stairs again!

He also put up a new rail on the garage stairs. This is especially helpful, as those stairs do not have an equal distance from step to step (the riser is different heights). Nearly everyone trips on it the first time they use it, so this rail will come in handy. Pun intended. Oh, and this one? He finished it before he installed it.

The trim for the master bathroom was finally finished, too. Whoa. Seriously, he's on a roll.

Side Note: Sorry the picture is so fuzzy. My little camera phone does the best it can...which sometimes isn't very good. Our real camera went missing a few months ago.

And he primed it before putting it in. Maybe he really didn't know that finishing something before installing was much easier than finishing it afterwards. Huh. I get so used to Doug being the expert at this stuff, I forget that even he is learning on some of it.

Me, I've been working on some sewing projects...I'll share those later this week, since I have two that are almost finished...as in, just-pull-out-basting-stitches-and-make-the-girls-try-it-on finished. I have actually been doing more than just sitting around, feeling sorry for myself and my taking-its-time-to-heal leg.

Not much more, but there you are. Or rather, there I am. Hope you're being a little more productive than me lately (it wouldn't be hard)!!!

Jack Attack is Six!

And he was a VIK this week (Very Important Kindergartner). It was so adorable - I got to share a few things about Jack:

• He loves to sing (he sang a witch song from Halloween to his class)
• He loves karate (he did his Star Block for them)
• He loves Ninja Turtles (who doesn't?)
• He was born in South Carolina (they didn't know where that was)

Love the funny face

Then they all shared their favorite things about Jack. Mostly, they all said that they loved it when Jack played with them - tag, games, you name it. I love kindergartners, they are so positive - except for when they're hurt - and ready for almost anything.

Specifically, I love my kindergartner. Jack is just so much fun to have around. Hooray for another year!

And This is How I Feel About Birthdays

I found this picture and couldn't resist...it is so me!

Tongue sticking out and everything. So for my birthday, I thought I would try and find pictures of all my kids and me at about the same age. I know, good luck, right?

Well, hah! I actually found them all. They all look a little like me, huh? Now, don't you start thinking I'm getting baby hungry again. That ship has sailed, I am very happy with the five I have (I mean, really, no need to get greedy, right?).

In other news, my orthopedic surgeon said I didn't need surgery - just more time to heal. Huge sigh of relief. So all is well with my leg and I am not freaking out anymore. Once again, a freakout that didn't need to be, but it's past and all is well again!

Happy birthday to me!

Somethin' To Hang Onto

So many people have asked me: "Why didn't you hold onto the railing when going down those stairs?" Referring, of course, to my spill and subsequent injury a few weeks ago.

The answer is simple: there wasn't a railing to hold onto. The joy of buying a house that is not finished is, well, that you get to make your own choices and finish it the way you want it. The downside, of course, is that there are lots of things missing. Such as handrails on stairs.

Doug decided after my fall that, perhaps, we did actually need a railing down them stairs. Pathetic, but effective, I guess. So we took Jack to Home Depot and found us a railing.

He loves riding on those orange carts. He is constantly in motion, which is why the picture is a little blurry - sorry about that. The last thing the guy said to us in Home Depot: Make sure you finish it before you hang it! Doug was offended. I laughed, and said something along the lines of "Well, duh!"  Doug just gave me a look.

When we got home, Doug started measuring and putting up the brackets.

The kids got a kick out of the chalk line (I have been erasing chalk off my tile since), and obviously Jack loved that I was taking pictures. The "ham" trait is definitely genetic. Then Doug placed the railing on the brackets like so...

And made me make sure I liked it. Not bad, Doug, Not bad.With my approval, he cut the ends so they were nicely contoured:

And screwed the railing into the brackets. Did he finish it, like the guy at Home Depot admonished him to? Oh, no. Well, not immediately. It sat like this for a few days (remember how I told you last week that Doug has been busy but I've been feeling too sorry for myself to update the blog? Yup, this is one of those projects).

Apparently the admonishment was eating at him, though, because this week he took the railing off and stained it to match the banister on the other side of the stairs. LOL! Sorry, I should take that down a notch. I am giggling about it, though. So, it should be up again soon...this time, finished. Go, Doug.

Freakin' Out!

There's actually quite a lot going on right now - Doug's been busy. I'll share that next week, I promise.

Right now, I'm just freaking out about some news on my leg...the sprained ankles are both healing quite nicely, so much so that I'm feeling strong and ready to get back to work.

Sadly, my broken leg hasn't healed at all. At. All. In fact, the fracture is spreading open...so quite the opposite of healing. I have an appointment with an orthopedist next week.

Not exciting for me. A little freaked out. In case you haven't figured that out yet. I am not excited about the prospect of possible surgery or screws (yikes!).

Thanks for letting me vent, I promise more work on the house next week. Have a good weekend.

It's November!

This is my favorite month. There's snow...

But not so much of it that you have to pull out the shovel (usually). Beauty without work, love it. There's cooler weather -sweaters! - which also means that working outside isn't a sweaty, hot prospect.

This year, it also means that I only have two more weeks of wearing the walking boot for my broken leg. Woohoo, the end is in sight! And then, I can get outside. Ahhh. I've really missed that. I might actually get some more bulbs in the ground before winter. I'm hoping, anyway.

It also means colorful leaves. I found these leaves at Target on clearance for fifty cents each:

They are felt placemats. I stuck them in my front window to be a little festive, since they are the perfect color. The house looked a little bare after taking down the Halloween decorations (even though there are still a few ghosts hanging out in the trees outside - I can't climb to get them, and keep forgetting to get the girls out there).

How's things at your place? Getting Halloween put away? Hope you have a great week, whatever you're doing!