My Day

Wow. What.a.day it's been today.

I awoke to an email from a well meaning friend saying how sorry she was about what she had heard on the news about Russia and adoptions to the US. Wha?!

I thought I was gonna faint when I only was able to get a tidbit of info from the media at that time, which did say indeed Russia suspended things. I thought my heart was going to break into millions of pieces.

Then I decided I needed to distract myself and was not going to think about it (ha!) until I had heard from our agency. We did and there were no confirmed reports saying there was a suspension, but obviously things are still a little shaky.

Basically we are still in limbo. Not so fun.

I decided I would head out and go to the fabric store to find a specific fabric I was looking for to make a dress. For me. I cannot remember the last time I actually made me something. Hmmm.

So to Starbucks I went and then the fabric store. Priorities ya know. Can't think right without a little caffeine!

So, I found what I was looking for. Two things actually.

Aaaand I had forgotten my coupon!!! Ugh.

So I chose one and decided to go back for the other one later... WITH my coupon.

Then I decided to browse about at some patterns, minding NOT to happen upon cute little girl clothes lest I burst into tears...

SO, the lady next to me starts up a conversation about how her daughter is having a baby and is looking at lots of little bitty things and telling me all about her plans.

Now, I am usually quite a pleasant and nice person and am happy for others and their happy news. But today? Today I just wanted to NOT think about itty bitty cute things. I just wanted to be and look at patterns and get my fabric and not talk about cute little itty bitty things.

Then, the other two ladies on the other side of me were talking and chatting about what? Cute little girl things and looking at cute little girl patterns....right.next.to.me.

Again, I am all for it, but really?! Seriously?! I had to get outta there...I was surrounded and trying to not burst into an emotional mess of tears.

So, off I went to pay for things and get to the car, so I could make it home in time to meet the bus for my little monkey boy.

And what happens when I leave? It starts pouring rain on me as I started walking to my car.....poured. I got wet.

But ya know what? Starbucks got my coffee right. Yay! I found the fabric I was looking for. Double Yay! Then, I got to come home and get a hug from my boy as he came off the bus. And that is wonderfulness.

So, my world is a little emotional right now and it kinda really sucks. A lot. But, the sky is not falling and there is still hope that the US and Russia will work things out to where we, and many others, can go and meet and bring home our children.

I miss our daughter. I hate the thought of her being left in an orphanage to grow up. It's unbearable to think of what might happen if she is. I already love this little girl so, so much. I don't know what will happen, but I know I will not stop praying.

Blessings and I hope I have better news in the adoption world next week! Meanwhile, I will try to get some fun crafty posts ready to post next week. It's a good distraction for me....

Toodles!

Don't Sneeze!!!

See these those little brownish green squiggly things up in this tree with the new brighter green leaves growing?


Those little things and the stuff it brings causes quite a bit of craziness with allergies around here. Pollen. Oak pollen. Ick.


It leaves a film of green and yellow all over everything. Kinda like this. See the coating of the stuff? That is not a dirty grill, it's just been coated with green ick from the trees. You could sweep and clean all day and it's just gonna be there again the next day.

And those squiggly things fall off the trees and all over EVERYTHING too, like the patio, the car, in the pool. Oh, and ones hair.

Yes, it is ever so lovely to be sitting at Starbucks with some girlfriends and one of them point out that there is something in your hair. And it's not your new hairband or anything relatively pretty. Nope, it's the oak stuff.

What's worse, my sister and I were out cycling the other day and as we were loading the bikes back on the bike rack, we turned to see a cloud of green ick blowing off the tops of the trees. For fellow LOST fans, I am serious when I say it looked like smokie, just green.

I am not sure why it has caught my attention so much this year. We have it every year, but this year just seems to be worse somehow. When I was pregnant, it was awful. I certainly noticed it then because I could not go outside without sneezing.

This year, it is not causing so much sneezing, but the allergies are causing some headache issues it seems with my boy. Makes me sad.

I love Spring and all, but I could sure do without the green smokie and brown squiggly things. Yuck.

Anything in your neck of the woods that causes major allergies? If not, where do you live, I want to come visit!

A Little Bit of Happy

Don't you just love it when you happen upon a serious happy find when you're not expecting to?! Me too!

I went to Joanns last night. I usually love going to fabric stores and just meandering about for a moment, but last night I was just intending to go for some much needed embroidery floss, 'cause I was out of the colors I needed!

So, off I went.

I got my floss and decided to meander a bit. Looked for some lace applique stuff (another project hopefully I can share about soon) but could not find any without sequins and such. Oh well. So then I rounded another corner and happened upon a sample sale!

These!


Ya know all those fabric samples they have for the decor fabric and such? Yeah, those! I have heard they occasionally sell them when certain fabrics have been discontinued, however, I have NEVER managed to find when that "time" is! There wasn't too much to choose from, but what I did find will work just nicely for some pillows I want to make for the Chickadee's bed.

And check out the price tag!

Woohoo! Two pillows (I already have the pillow forms) for $4 each! Very adoption budget friendly. And they will be completely one of a kind and blend with the colors of her room just nicely. Not too matchy matchy. The bedspread is actually a vintage creamy white chenille that belonged to my hubby's grandmother. It's in great condition and we always thought if we had a girl someday, we use it in her room. And if all keeps going well, then we shall! (more on that over HERE)

So, next week on the agenda is pillow making! And since they are already basically cut and ready to sew, they should come together in a snap!

Have you ever used these samples for such things? I would love to know what projects others have made with them!

Remember These?

I have been meaning to give an update for like, oh, ever on this little system!

It's been well over a year now since I first put this fun, easy and super simple for the kiddo system in place and I just had to give an update that it is STILL going strong! I cannot tell you what a breeze it makes for the morning routine of getting dressed and ready. My child can even get his own clothes together and put them in place for the week, so there is no wondering "what to wear" when getting up and dressed in the wee hours of the morning.

Oh and this? This too makes a HUGE difference in the chaos that could ensue without it.

I wanted to get this going because my son does so much better when he has a "visual" to see what is up next to do without having to ask or be told. However, now that he is getting a little more "big kid" and has those sight words down and, thankfully, the routine down, I am going to make it a bit more simplified for him and maybe add a few different "responsibilities". Nothing major, but keeping it interesting and still maintaining that visual for him to know what/when/done and, of course, age appropriate.



What about you? What systems or things do you have in place to help make school mornings a little less chaotic?!

Cupcake Monday

Okay, not every Monday is a cupcake Monday, but when it's Spring Break and there is time for baking....we made cupcakes! Actually, it was just me (my boy was visiting his Nana), so I made them. The boy would really only be interested in the icing anyway....

So, for this Monday cupcake baking I made THESE!!! Go quick and check them out and get the recipe. SO delish looking aren't they?!

Mine did not come out nearly as pretty, but that's OK. I made work what was on hand. Like, I had no parchment paper, so I used plain old cupcake liners from the grocery store. They were also not the mini size, so I made the regular cupcake size.

These truly were super simple to make. AND so, so yummy! The icing was simple enough to make as well. Although, I have to say my powdered sugar decided to really live up to the powder part of it's name and go all over my kitchen counter. Probably more so because I don't have any fancy mixer and used just my non-fancy (and much loved) pyrex glass bowl. :)

I also didn't realize I forgot the orange zest in the cupcake batter until I had already baked them, but they still tasted delish, so no worries here.

Here are the finished lovelies




If I could I would so pass one out to each one of you that stops in for a visit here at my little blog! We can pretend though, yes?! Yes, so take one and enjoy!

Happy Monday!!!

The Thread That Wasn't

So, I needed to sew some patches on my boy's TaeKwonDo uniform. I have used invisible thread (yes, there is such a thing) before for similar things in the past and thought it would be super handy to use for this! Problem is, I didn't have any on hand. So, to the fabric store I headed. I needed a few other supplies anyway.

They had the invisible thread that I needed. I bought it and went on my way.

Somehow between getting it home, thinking I put it up and the spool holder with all my other thread, and the several days that passed before I got around to actually sewing them on, it disappeared. I have no clue where it disappeared to, but I could NOT find it ANYWHERE.

So, today, I went back to the store and grabbed some more.

I got home, swear I took it out of the bag and set it down right next to my sewing machine and when I went to use it to thread the machine....it.was.GONE! I am not kidding. I seriously thought I had lost my mind. I searched all over my craft studio...everywhere! It was just gone. Disappeared again. I know it's called invisible thread, but come on! It's not actually invisible. I thought maybe it fell off the sewing table, on the floor, but no. It's was just gone.

So what's a gal to do?! I sat down and cried. Just kidding (no seriously I did...it was awful). Then, I took a break and went and grabbed a piece of my Dove dark chocolate from the pantry. Chocolate always helps, right?!

So, I sat and enjoyed my little chocolate moment. Then, I pulled on my big girl pants and went back in that studio and was bound and determined to NOT be beat by this.

I took a long hard look at my thread and just made it work with what I had. There was black on the outside of the patch and the uniform is white, so black for the top thread and white for the bobbin.

I made it work. I refused to be beaten by disappearing invisible thread darn it!

And typing disappearing invisible thread just made me giggle....

SO there ya have it. Patches are on and I am happy I made it work. However, I am not happy that I bought two spools of thread and have nothing to show for it. Bummer.

What crazy sewing mishaps have you had lately?! Or non-sewing mishaps?

March...wow!

March, how quickly you came! I was enjoying the lull of January and, well, as much as I usually enjoy February...this year? It was full of sickness of both myself and my child.

But March?! March is full of promise. As a matter of fact, March is when my little girl in Russia has a birthday. A birthday I just might get to celebrate with her! Well, not in the traditional sense, since she really doesn't even quite know (or has ever had) a birthday party.

However.....we are expecting to travel pretty dern close to the actual date of her birthday!!! Wouldn't that be super crazy awesome?! Yes, yes it would.

So, March, let's keep with this excitement on your very first day. There is so much promise and the month is full of possibilities. I think I just want to hang today and soak it all in and enjoy it for the time being.

Then? Well, then I have to get busy making a very special little doll to take on our trip. Ah, joyousness.