Happy Birthdays...

Happy birthday to Hazel and AJ - you would have been 5 today.  I miss you!

This is a video with some loss friends in it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/29/stillbirth_n_4173793.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false  
It was hard to watch today, but definitely has me thinking about how to let others know, so there can be more of a conversation.  I KNOW my family is not the only one it's happened to, but it sure feels like it when it happens to you.

Halloween Costume: Macaw Parrot for a 3-year old

This is just a super quick post so I can document my Halloween efforts this year.  I'll have to edit it with better photos after we dress up again tomorrow.  So Big Sis decided she wanted to be a parrot this year.  We already had a great monkey suit for Little G.  Parrot + monkey = jungle theme!  What about mommy and daddy??  Why Jane and Tarzan, of course!

The making of the Macaw:

 Big Sis wore a red sweatsuit underneath.  I added shoulder and arm straps to the underside of the wings.  We also painted a mask from JoAnn's, and added feather trim from the New York trip to the top.

For Mom and Daddy I sewed short tube skirts for both of us out of brown, suede-y fabric from Jo-Ann's.  I cut out the side of Big G's to make it more loincloth-ish.  He thought that was pretty amusing. I cut fringe on the bottom of each "skirt".  For tops I made Big G a kind of sash out of suede-y leopard print fabric.  For my I used the same leopard-print and made a one-shouldered number.  Tights, flats, and messy hair finished off my costume.

No flash on these pics, so we'll have to try again tomorrow on actual Halloween.

I don't know if this year tops our last year's family theme: Under the Sea.  Big Sis was Rainbow Fish, I was a jellyfish, Little G was a baby clam, and Big G was a Geoduck (yep that's a huge clam with a REALLY huge siphon.  It looked exactly like a huge p***s on his head.  He picked it, not me!)  Check out this link if you need a mental image of what I'm talking about: geoduck.  We accomplished the siphon by using a double-layer of ladies thigh-high stockings stuffed with poly-fill.

A little Mood, a little Rhinebeck

This is quite random, but I wanted to share just a couple of the pieces of fabric from Mood, plus a little something yarny from Rhinebeck that I plan on starting today.  I had planned on photographing all the fabric and putting it in one post, then adding all the Rhinebeck purchases to another post, but I don't actually have everything all in one place.  Some of the things came home in my suitcase and some went to Grammy's house in Syracuse for her to mail out to the West Coast.

These are a few of the fabrics from Mood, NY and from Paron's, both in the Garment District.  The washable stuff is going in to the wash straightaway. Some of them I have ideas for (or at least I knew what I wanted to do with them when I bought them...hopefully I can recreate those thoughts), and some of them I just liked.  I figured if I blogged as much as I remembered about the fabric and patterns I was thinking of then I'd have a record for future sewing.

Wool, double-sided fabric from Paron's.  Black/white & light blue/white.  Winter shorts with contrast something on them?

Hmmm...red/white striped cotton voile(?) from Paron's with a silver stripe.

Photobomberes.

Black wool suiting from Paron's.  Italian wool, normally $45/yd., but I picked it up from the 50% off table.  I was thinking winter shorts.  It was about 1 1/2  yds. of fabric. 

This is a white cotton eyelet with the cutouts outlined in black.  From Mood Fabrics.

Navy blue/gold silk & cotton from Paron's. $22.50/yd. Very drapey, made in Italy. I was thinking an Anna Dress from By Hand London.

White/red/dark gray 100% cotton from Paron's.  Maybe a skirt?  It's a heavier cotton.

Well this isn't what I thought I'd do, but I am going to save my first Rhinebeck knit for another time.  The pictures aren't cooperating for me!

New York Trip, part 1

It's taken me a week to recover from our New York trip (both Upstate and the city).  Saturday, 10/12/13, we got up at the ungodly hour of 2:45am and picked up Uncle Chris by 3:30 so he could drive us to the airport and then take our car back to his place.  The flight was mostly uneventful, except for Little G not wanting to sit still.  Mom had to employ the "straightjacket" maneuver; pinning his arms and legs to his sides in a bear hug while he screamed.  A mere 25 minutes later he fell asleep...then I had to hold him in the same position for the next 4+ hours.  Clara did not sleep a wink, until our 2nd flight right after the pilot announced we would be landing in 5 minutes! The guy in front of her couldn't believe how much she had chatted to herself the WHOLE time...

We spent the first 4 days in Syracuse with Grammy and Grampy.  Apple & pumpkin picking, walks, fall leaves, the MALL, a movie (Gravity - it was awesome!)

Some photos:

Actually this was Central Market in Poulsbo right before we left for NY.  It was just too colorful and I had to add it.

Apple Picking

Riding the cow train in Susie Q.

Feeding the goats.

Family photo op.

Mommy and Little G riding "Flossie"

After the first few days in Syracuse, Big G and I headed down to NYC for a few days on our own. The following Saturday we rented a car at JFK and drove up the Hudson Valley to Rhinebeck, NY to meet up with Grammy and Grampy and the kids, and go the the NY Sheep and Wool Festival.  More post to come with NYC details and Rhinebeck sights.

And...back to school I go

Ha ha --  Back to school more like a full month now.  No wonder blogging has dropped from my radar like a 10-ton boulder.  School is killing me, as is the new routines of new childcare, etc.  Working 3 days/week this year, but I went and signed up for some extra stuff as well at work  (what the *&^$!& was I thinking???!)  That means extra meetings, both during the day and in the evening.  The kids seem to be adjusting fairly well, although Big Sis often falls asleep on the way home at the end of the day and then wakes with the personality of a hibernating bear!  Mommy and kids often hit the hay around the same time each night...

The result!  No big crafty/house/DIY projects.  Just working on some small knitting items.  I have been thinking about sewing, haven't actually done any though.

We leave for our big Upstate NY/NYC trip in less than 2 weeks!!!!!  5 years for hubs and me!  (+ 2 kids, 2 houses, 2 cars...)  We'll stay upstate for a few days with Grampy/Grammy then head down to the city for a few days on our own.  Garment district here I come!  Then on the weekend it's back up the Hudson to Rhinebeck for NY Sheep and Wool Festival.  Dream trip come true!  Do I wish I had a Rhinebeck sweater to show off like all the other ladies?  Well yes, but I'm going to be okay with just going for the first time ever.

Because every post needs a picture.  Big Sis got to show her first sheep this year at the county fair at the end of August!  It was adorable and hilarious.  Thank goodness for a well-behaved sheep that we borrowed.  "Betsy" or whoever she was, was more like a pony to Big Sis' 3-year old size.

 And this is the first day of 3's Preschool!  This kiddo L-O-V-E-S school.  All summer she was asking when she got to go back to school.  Nobody took Mommy's picture on the first day, but I'm pretty sure I was a lot less excited to go back to work/school even though I do love the kids.  Did I mention that as of this morning I have 28 second graders??  Say what!?  That's a lot of 7-8 year olds.