Snow Trip...

Our 3rd annual snow trip (can you say 3rd annual if it's only 3 times? I suppose...it just sounds so official) So every year we take a trip w/ our extended family to Shaver Lake, were not really snow people, but we definintley attempt to be. We spend our time eating good food, relaxing, and building snow runs (actually Ponch does all the building and shoveling-thank God). This is the first year it actually snowed on us (it looks pretty on TV...light, fluffy, clean....but really it's...wet and cold...but also a bit magical). Maddy broke out of her shell that weekend, she couldn't get enough of the snow run! She was out there for hours, up and down the hill, even after a huge tumble. Haley on the other hand, not so into hanging in the snow for hours, she preferred to hang at the cabin with her cousins...nothing wrong with that! And of course we had to do something to keep ourselves busy on the drive...so why not hearts!

First Scarf Order

Mad went to school today sportin' her new scarf...and I'm sure there was a little braggin' going along with it that it was handmade by her...too cute! Best little self confidence booster when you've made something yourself. So when I pick her up she gets in the car with 5 scarf orders for her friends, she tells me "I'm gonna go home have a bannana muffin and some milk and go out to the sewing room (ok she said garage) and sew my scarfs"....a little me in the making....love it!!! She sewed her scarfs and wanted to add her own little touch to it to make it original...a little felt heart (my idea...the heart..but hers to add something).

I knew sewing thread less would only last for so long...

and now that they've mastered the straight line I had to come up with an easy and satisfying project (aren't they all satisfying?) I found some jersey cotton at our local fabric store for only $2 a yard! Wasn't sure what to do w/ all this fabric...so I went to my little "blog world" for some inspiration. Come to find out you can cut jersey cotton and it doesn't even have to be cut straight to look good (added plus for me and Mad), with a little tug the sides roll up and it looks perfectly straight (even better)!!! So we ventured into making scarves.

Step #1: Cut long strip of jersey cotton
Step # 2: Sew ends together
Step # 3: Give a little tug and wrap around your neck...once, twice, even three times (depending on the look your going for).

We've got the bug....

the sewing bug that is. Every free second we have we are out in our little craft room (ok...garage) sewing. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as we can get a needle through it, unless your me and you break 5 needles in one project (I'm pretty adamant when I want something to work). So the girls have been working on sewing straight lines on card stock (or cereal boxes), we draw lines, take the thread out and they go to work, and they've actually really improved!!!! And while they did that I did this, from here.

ad-vent:: a coming into place, view, or being; arrival: the advent of the holiday season.

Every year we celebrate Christmas with an Advent calender, usually its the chocolate TJ's box (it is only $.99), small ornaments wrapped to put on a little tree, or last year I had put little trinkets and candy in our felt garland pockets. These are all fun things but it still felt like there was something missing, the girls became obsessive over the chocolate (first thing in the morning), they got bored with the small ornaments, and trinkets...who needs more stuff? So after a conversation with KC (my go to for parenting advice) about how the kids hadn't stopped talking about what they want for Christmas for two weeks (and it wasn't even Thanksgiving), she gave me the greatest idea to start an activity advent calender, so the kids can take there focus off "I want" and get excited over time spent together, the crafts (hopefully lots of sewing), and starting new traditions. I don't know whose more excited me or them? Here is our list:

-Christmas Countdown Chain
-Root Beer Floats
-Read "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"
-Snow Downtown
-Decorate Outside
-Watch Holiday Movie w/ Hot Cocoa (I need suggestions...anyone?)
-Write Santa a Letter
-Family Art Night (got the idea from here)
-Make Paper Snowflakes and Hang In Windows
-Ice Cream Sundaes
-Make Xmas Photo Album (all years past, I cant wait to pull out the baby picts)
-Make Teacher Gifts
-Watch Holiday Movie w/ Hot Cocoa
-Search Santa Clause.net (you find out what Santa is doing to prepare for Christmas
-After Dinner Drive To Search For The Best Christmas Lights
-Winter Concert
-Read Christmas Book (haven't decided...suggestions?)
-Write/Illustrate Your Own Christmas Book
-Make Fabric Ornaments (love these)
-Make Gifts For Each Other
-Read Winter Solstice w/ Activity
-Make Gingerbread House
-Bake Cookies and Take Them To Neighbors/Friends
-Leave Santa Note w/ Reindeer Snack (Thanks Kate)

Backseat Organizer

Have you ever looked at your car and thought you were driving around in a big garbage can? That's what it looked like a week ago, until I did the tedious job of cleaning it out, and it was amazing what I found in there, a missing shoe, a lunch bag, and half a sandwich (thank god it was just peanut butter). Then Maddy came up with the brilliant idea to get a backseat organizer. That's when the light bulb went off...I could sew something, so I turned to my happy little blog world and I found this.

Turkey Hands

Super fun project with the girls. These fabric turkey hands are so much better then the paper ones, something will have forever and there small little hands are priceless. I got the idea from here. Have fun!