KnitOwl

notes and language exercises for Esme

2012-02-08T07:22:00.000-08:00

Grandpa is in the hospital again. Grandma, Daddy and Esme will go see him again in the big city today. I have to work. I hope they can get his flu and etc. under moderation.I have been working some the past month with Esme - it seems to be working for several reasons. 1.) she was already in a spurt (big one) 2.) she is in an 'acceptable' mood and will take direction and corrections lately

Rolling out the yards....

2012-02-04T14:36:00.001-08:00

Sewing mode has started. I've been collecting a few yards of this and that over the past two weeks in preparation for this weekend. I have plans for: Robot shirt, planetary pants, hello kitty pants, not sure what to do with the brown flower fabric... sheep shirt and plaid jumper are still on the list but I want to make sure those end up well constructed, not rushing them... Fabric is in the

We have something more on the question front...

2012-02-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

She stopped me after she had been looking at a bite mark/scratch on her arm that was now almost gone - from her playdate. I wanted her to get in the bathtub and she holds up her hand and says STOP. then proceeds very slowly : 'What is ....house .....the lady with the animals .....name animals?' (with raised voice and hands spread out at the end) She couldn't remember the name of the animals at

notes

2012-02-01T19:17:00.000-08:00

We are all back from Jackson and settled down for the night. It was a long busy day! Grandpa went to his doctor's appointment and Esme was not terribly awful for the trip, although she could have been in a better mood in general. She became a little better after her food kicked in, I think. We found a nice castle block set on clearance, and I bought some fabric to make Esme a special pillow

Beautiful January day

2012-01-31T18:50:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful day outside - and we played in it for a while today. Then we went to visit some new friends, and Esme had a good time playing with them. She was very happy playing with the 1 year old little boy and then warmed up to the girl (who is a little younger than her and was feeling worried about her toys so Esme sensed to back off for a while...) as well and was running all over the

remember to do this...

2012-01-29T16:08:00.000-08:00

more often: Pick up Esme first thing I get home and drive her up the road to see the beautiful pink sunset before it goes away :) I want to call the speech lady tomorrow morning before I need to go to work, and find out if she has any results. On Tuesday after 11:30 one of the girls at work will call us to come play with her little ones.. we hope. I haven't told Esme about this yet because

weekend...

2012-01-29T04:54:00.003-08:00

Off to work early again, yesterday was a very hard and busy day. Esme was in a much better mood, though. I am looking forward to a few days off in the middle of next week. I have fixed my old laptop and gave it to her a few days ago - to replace the one that died before - she is so happy. I should have done it much earlier. I have not sewn up the shirt or cut the jumper out. Esme's cardigan

bits and bobs

2012-01-27T18:01:00.000-08:00

We still have not received any results from the language or hearing tests. I think she is waiting for Monday now. But, I've realized that in the past few days a lot of what Esme has done for 'testing limits' and such has been because she is on the verge of another growth spurt. This spurt has a lot to do with language - which is why I have focused on it myself. A lot of her upset is about

bits

2012-01-27T06:32:00.000-08:00

We have had a bit better attitude since yesterday... glad for the turnaround, and hope it lasts. I have not heard the results from the speech tester. The yellow/green fabrics I ordered from Sew Fine Fabrics on Etsy has arrived. It arrived very quickly, indeed! I have cut out a shirt from the sheep fabric and the other fabric is ready to cut another night. Normally I would have cut and sewn

beginning Thursday

2012-01-26T07:03:00.000-08:00

I am still being tested by Esme's attitude today. She is being obstinate and upset when things and the order in which they are done, are not under her control. She is pretending to be sick, and to be dead, and then races after you across the house when that is ignored. She is being four. And Mama is just tired :( I would like my days off to be spent doing things we like and have fun at - not

busy busy Wednesday

2012-01-25T16:53:00.001-08:00

Esme had her hearing test and language tests this morning. The speech lady said she was able to do all of the tests in one day, and that Esme did very well with all of the 'hard work.' Esme told me the hearing test was 'all beeps' in things over her ears, and that a 'needle' on a (clock face/dial?) went all up and all down, and then was all done. The lady will call us back in a few days to let

monday monday

2012-01-23T04:28:00.000-08:00

The weather did get scary in the middle of the night - odd wind swirlings all over the top and side of the house. Esme turned on her flashlight in the middle of the night and I had to shut if off in her hand this morning as I am getting ready for work. The wind is still howling some out there. Daddy and Grandpa, Grandma, and Esme will all be going to Jackson today for a doctor's appointment.

fabric buy and pretty heavy storms

2012-01-22T19:42:00.000-08:00

I splurged the other day and sent away for some 'Lunch Box' yellow plaid fabric from Michael Miller, for a new jumper for Esme. Then, I added on a half yard of an organic cotton with yellow and black sheep on it - for a camp shirt :) That is my budget for a couple of months *yeep*. Now, we are also under tornado watch for the night, with some pretty heavy thunderstorm cells coming in all night

speech evaluation

2012-01-20T15:05:00.000-08:00

Esme had an evaluation with two speech therapists today, lasting about fifteen minutes. They said her pronunciation was good for her age, and that she needed a language evaluation, not a speech evaluation. She introduced me to Miss K, the langauge evaluator. Miss K. asked for me to bring Esme in again next week for a longer evaluation. They are treating this as a 'get ready for school' and

upside-down English and the end of the week

2012-01-19T06:13:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow I have the day off, and I need one! Last night was nice, we made pancakes and popcorn and Esme and I played dollhouse for a while. There is probably nothing wrong, but I am looking into having a speech eval done for her with the school district, or, if they do not respond, someone else maybe at the University etc. She is in a spurt again, picking up new phrases and saying many new

Blue jumper Sunday

2012-01-15T12:08:00.000-08:00

I made this jumper last night, and she has worn it today. It is a little large yet, maybe even more than the brown one - I was slim on the internal seams on this one and that made it bigger. But, she grows and grows! We had to go to town with Grandma to get some groceries, but other than that it is a nice day at home. We found her a mama zebra for her baby zebra at the store today. She has

Happy birthday to Esme's Grandma and mad scientist tendencies

2012-01-14T06:29:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday Irene! Sorry I have to work today, but hope you have a wonderful day and maybe a visit from a little girl who likes to see her Grandma and Grandpa.//last day of six today, tomorrow off. I've been invited to a baby shower tomorrow but I highly doubt I will go. I have five more days on after that - and I really don't want to have to go anywhere as I'm wearing a little thin after

come up for air

2012-01-12T09:18:00.000-08:00

In the middle of what we call 'he** week', six days on straight with terrible hours that make it hard to do anything except come home, go to sleep, go to work and do it all over again. Mark and I had our 5th anniversary on the 10th, and it was a very nice day. Thank you to Grandpa and Grandma for chipping in - I'll make Esme a matching sweater out of the yarn :)We've been doing just a little

more camp shirt

2012-01-07T16:13:00.000-08:00

owl shirtI did this tonight to see how well I could finish all of the seams and facings, as if it was going to go into a shop. I still have to do the buttonholes. It fits Esme well as a standard size 4. Last time I altered the length two to three inches longer for her. She is long in the torso, like her mother. I didn't do that this time, and probably should have for wearing with pants. For

4 years old stick figure drawing

2012-01-05T19:34:00.000-08:00

The circles in the upper right corner are mine, but the rest is hersEsme drew this tonight after our math lesson, which included a lot of counting on fingers, counting groups of pennies and dots, saying the names for numerals, matching numerals to the amount of dots on different butterflies wings etc... She liked the lesson a lot. Then she began to draw dots - and turned it into a person. She

a tea party for scooby doo and frog

2012-01-03T11:57:00.001-08:00

hug her scooby doopeering at our aloe vera plant that is definitely a 'mosnter'tea partyshe served them 'tea' and 'apples' and 'cake'but told the baby kangaroo (not pictured)he had to be quiet and go back to his momstanding in one of her toy bucketsshe had put all her stuffed animals in it and wasbeing the 'cereal' to their 'milk.'Grandpa is going into the hospital again for a checkup - I hope

bits

2012-01-02T19:25:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a shrug type sweater out of my Christmas yarn, and it is very wearable, super warm, and supposedly washable. I've ordered a few books from online for Esme, dinosaur level 1 and 2 readers and a laminated labelled anatomy chart that shows the names of the bones and muscles. Esme and I have been talking more about different 'natural science' things, mostly 'how things work'

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T06:15:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012, the new Year. Not much will change today itself, but there are large aspirations on the horizon to be planned and worked with over the course of the entire year. Projects in the garden and with the land we cleared last year. There are two new areas we hope to till and plant in besides the one we did this year. There will be a lot of fence to run at the shared garden for Grandma

Brown gingham pinafore Simplicity 3603

2011-12-29T10:07:00.001-08:00

homemade pinafore over storebought shirtThe shirt came from her aunt Gail the Christmas before this one - and it is one of the few items I can stretch the neck on wide enough to get Esme to cooperate with it. I'll try to make her some of the blouses out of this pattern or another later - because she will outgrow it.Simplicity 3603, undatedThe only pattern I could find quickly was Simplicity 3603

Blue Rabbit dress

2011-12-28T14:06:00.001-08:00

I made this a few days ago, mentioned it but did not get a chance to take any pictures. She wore it to town today. It is a McCalls 8001 alteration - with the two pleats in the front instead of one, and a dropped skirt front as well. It is the last bit of the blue dobby rabbit fabric from Japan bought several years ago. It was previously featured as two pairs of pants, so it has done well for

Homeschool prep - books and curriculum

2011-12-27T19:06:00.000-08:00

Planning out some 'curriculum' that will last her for years to come, whether or not we do the homeschooling track.Reading:have:The New We Three (1960s reading book dick and jane book 3rd in series)Fun with Our Friends (dick and jane type book 1st in series) (coming in mail)Dr.Seuss - Cat in the Hat, Hop on Pop, Green Eggs and Ham, The Nose book, Ten Apples up on Top, If I ran the Zoo (a few more)

Christmas Day 2011

2011-12-25T13:37:00.001-08:00

Daddy and Esme with the hex spiderhow does that work?Loula with the catsScooby Doo was a hitfrom Nana in MinnesotaThe animals are here!She also got a cow like these animals in her 'sock I hung on car bed!' Christmas Stocking. The red and white and blue striped socks were her other stocking item and she was happy with those, too. Grandpa Harvey from Iowa called and she talked to him and Grandma

Puppy parcel, meet Loula

2011-12-24T17:22:00.001-08:00

Loula is the last of Nova's puppies... out of eleven puppies and two days of trying to give them ALL away, we were left with this one. Unless someone really needs one, we might end up keeping her. Esme says 'It is my Lou-ah'. Hmmmmm.... And anyhow, don't they just look like two puppies sleeping there? I'm working my way through a robot kit from Tamiya we bought about a year ago... I think

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T14:46:00.000-08:00

I'm back from work and ready to get everything in order for the day!We have one puppy left. Decisions, decisions!Here is Esme demanding pictures while sitting watching cartoons. I caught pictures of her breaking up laughing with Daddy - and then he had me pose for one, too. Her eyes are still so blue!

the eve of the Eve

2011-12-23T14:15:00.001-08:00

I have wrapping to do - have to find some time to do it 'unpestered'. Maybe when Esme is painting later. We went out to the town today with eleven puppies and came back with four. That is a pretty good day's work, even though it was cold and windy. Esme was not on her best behavior - I think she was secretly upset that her puppies were going away but was also understanding that they were

You found Christmas bit

2011-12-22T20:16:00.000-08:00

I brought home some shiny foil garland from work last night and put it up above the door this morning. Esme told me 'Mama, you found Christmas!' and went to tell the puppies how today was Christmas Day. I told her No... not for a few more morningtimes. "Oh, yea.. first, it gotta snow!", she said. "Oh no... I hope not!", I said.She is asleep in her bed after losing her pink sock monkey for a

Pumpkin chili

2011-12-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

I love pumpkin seeds, even the tiny ones that I have to nearly pick apart with a tweezer... well that might be a bit much! I cooked one of my small pumpkins last night that was from August - and it was still very good. I roasted the seeds and they are tiny, but have that delectable green oily stuff in them that is the reason I keep picking at them.With the flesh, which was a little stringy, I

Winter Solstice

2011-12-21T06:41:00.000-08:00

I am another half a year older. The days will start to get longer again from here forward. Planting time is about three months away, or less... it sure doesn't feel like it. And of course, Christmas, and the season of being together with the family and giving real thanks for all that has become and will be towards the new year. Grandpa Henry is home from the hospital. We hope he gives

A girl and her frog - and a triangle shawl

2011-12-18T14:01:00.001-08:00

Esme still loves her Mr.Frog. It is the toy Daddy bought her at a garage sale way back when she was less than two - he looked almost 'new' then, and has seen a hard life. Recently, he has been nearly replaced by 'Cookie Rabbit', although he still is sometimes invited to tea or thrown into the air then returned to his place behind her pillow in her bed. Today, he got the privilege of sitting in

talking bit

2011-12-18T11:19:00.000-08:00

This morning at 5 am the puppies were howling downstairs in the basement. Esme gets up and puts on her shoes, walks past our bed and downstairs and proceeds to have the following conversation.'I can't sleep. You go away, run away, go away scram. You be quiet. You are loud. I am so tired and I can't sleep! I do not love you, no, go - I do not love you anymore. You go sleep. You go run away

growth bit

2011-12-15T19:59:00.000-08:00

Esme has hit a growth spurt again, she is eating more than we would expect and asking for more, and napping at odd times when she usually hardly sleeps more than eight hours a night. But then she gets up and runs around like crazy and jabbers constantly, playing her games like usual etc... She has been making some unexpected sense as well - telling me about things like the following...moon is

knitting projects

2011-12-13T18:52:00.000-08:00

I can tell it is winter, or approaching quickly, as things are flying on the needles here. I want warm things, socks and shawls and afghans. And I want to clean - and to have lots of cleaning cloths. So, now with the 'ick' bronchitis/pneumonia mostly gone my knitting needles are clacking. I've used so many of the kitchen cloths for cleaning lately that I feel I owe Mark more to use only in

last day of december vacation

2011-12-11T10:43:00.002-08:00

My week is up... back to normal tomorrow with an early morning shift. We plan on going to Grandma's house today and helping her with a few computer things. Esme is pretending to be a butterfly doctor, and blowing bubbles all over the kitchen etc etc... I have been working on a few more yarn projects.blue sweater, Vanna's choice Lion yarn, size 7 straight needleThis will be a slightly larger

to think on...as we face the 'global economy'... is there a domestic economy anymore?

2011-12-10T15:33:00.000-08:00

Is there, in the majority of United States households, such a thing as domestic economy anymore? How much of anything truly necessary for the running of the household is made by members of the household? Would they, if pressed, know how to make any of the products or raw materials of those items from the world around them?From the most simple idea of crafts in making something practical for the

long winded bits

2011-12-09T10:38:00.000-08:00

She was saying: 'baby hands have to help you...'not as much as baby hands think they have to...holding scissors waiting for me to ask for her to cut thread...didn't last very long, she couldn't wait and got fidgety, so she went to playing puzzlesThings are slowly plugging along, vacation ends on Sunday. It is a little warmer outside, in the 40s and the sun is shining. Both of those are nice.

shawl progress, dress and snow

2011-12-07T11:51:00.000-08:00

We had a short spurt of snow this morning. Esme got to hold a small chunk of it, but then I whisked her off to the bathtub. looking at the snow before the bath...Snowball!BraidsAfter the bath I put the same dress back on her - as it is the warmest at the moment, and I haven't gotten good pictures yet. This is the altered McCalls 8001 in size 5 (circa 1961) Alterations: Two front pleats

triangle shawl notes and more

2011-12-05T13:21:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Elizabeth Zimmerman's 'A Knitter's Almanac', a book of simple projects signifying the most needed items in a household over the course of a year... Simplest triangle shawl ever is based on a knit garter-stitch dishcloth. Start with four stitches, k2, yo, knit to end. Repeat this always doing the same sequence, k2, yo, knit to end and the item will grow and grow. Once the shawl is

first day of december vacation

2011-12-04T08:08:00.000-08:00

Today is my first day of December vacation... the last vacation of the year. It will last about a week. It comes at a bad time for a few people at work - but we had to scrabble and schedule whatever time was left somewhere in late October.. and things that happened since then have made this a bad time. *sigh* I did need it, though! Hopefully they will all hold it together until I get back

Amazement at bean varieties... thanks to GF!

2011-12-02T19:32:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if he would want his name up here, but I owe quite a large thank you to GF, a collector of seeds in Mass. who traded me a small handful of so many varieties.. beans, cowpeas, limas ...counted them up and it was 55! And then another large handful of different varieties of zucchini and summer squash. It felt like opening a strange and wonderful inheritance, of heirloom seeds, no less

Queen quilt, happy puppy and hooks

2011-12-01T10:00:00.003-08:00

Warm puppies are happyMama has been warm, too. The quilt was finished being bound last night, which means no more pins in it, and I can quilt it as I see fit. It is VERY toasty - thick tapestry on one side will do that! It is about an inch thick, little less in some places. It is a 'rustic' quilt, with hand stitching on the binding all the way around and simple strip patchwork to bound pieces

mom sleeps here...and crochet knit slippers

2011-11-30T08:08:00.000-08:00

Asleep on my pillow and blanket, waiting for me to come home from workI have today and tomorrow off, now - to try to continue to get over this cold. Esme still won't keep her blankets on at night *growl*... I might have to make her a sleeping bag type thing. Her sleepers still fit, but she finds them hard to unzip, pull down and pull back up. Last year it wasn't an issue, but happily she has

bits

2011-11-28T08:47:00.000-08:00

This morning when Esme woke up she told me the animals were coming, all the animals were gone but they were coming back later. She kept telling us this, and I thought she meant the animals from Dumbo's train. I said they could come at Christmas, and she said that Christmas was all gone. I said it was coming again, in (about) 21 'morningtimes' and counted them out for her. She got all excited

bits of dreams while sick

2011-11-26T05:45:00.000-08:00

// Note for self: I was letting Esme look through a mail catalog of toys to see what she would pick out - and she picked out a huge container of markers and paper. That wasn't what I had in mind - but we said we would write a letter to Santa Claus about it and see. She still has her birthday gift from Nana to spend and that sounds like a good thing to spend it on.When I am sick I have even

An atypical Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T12:14:00.000-08:00

For this Thanksgiving, we are thankful, but our family get together has been postponed for quite a while. Esme and I are still sick, and Grandpa Henry is still in the hospital in Memphis. Grandma is lonely, but worried about bringing more germs to Grandpa - so we agreed everyone would just spend the day at their houses and do whatever we would normally do. Esme and I did one of her crafts from

bits of both sick

2011-11-23T10:01:00.000-08:00

She looks much better than she did... asking me if she can take her jingle bells to her roomShe definitely does not have anymore what I call the 'classic sick look' she shares with her Daddy... they both get this odd pale around their eyes and forehead when they are truly sick and don't have energy etc etc... I have what Esme has, hopefully it will pass before Friday. She seems to be getting

time cost benefit game and quality in handmade

2011-11-21T15:24:00.001-08:00

with Esme sick (although she seems better again than yesterday and fell asleep in my lap a few minutes ago) I am getting ranty.... don't worry, the pictures and projects will continue at a later date. I've been thinking a lot about what I want to make, and why, and how for the coming winter... read this article by Somer The true cost of handmade. Loved the article, and the comments that

rant from the non-pattern following knitter (and more)

2011-11-20T14:38:00.000-08:00

//Esme does seem to be feeling a bit better, still coughing... but I'm putting liquids and soup into her. I'll be keeping her home tomorrow with me tomorrow when Mark and Grandma go to Memphis.///I do still knit... although most of the time it is washcloths and dishtowels - just because they are easy and always useful. Then there was that pair of gloves last year that have still proved

bits

2011-11-20T07:25:00.000-08:00

It has been a whole week since I brought Esme and Grandma up to Hazel. Can you believe that? I am having trouble wondering where all that time went. I worked all week... *sigh* I was feeling really stressed out, lots of little things building up including a lot of changes/demands/general chaos at work etc... And then Esme started to develop her cough. I stopped on the way home last night

At 4 years old...

2011-11-18T06:42:00.000-08:00

She holds up one finger and says 'No, later. Later. Right now go downstairs go pee, go bed LATER Daddy.' Ha. He says he doesn't know where on EARTH she could have gotten such an attitude from. 'Who, my dear woman, are you referring to? I haven't the foggiest idea...' She is very much interested in 'saving' her toys and being a doctor and a chef and a farmer... as well as a cat and a dog or

garden is nearly done...

2011-11-17T19:36:00.001-08:00

Live Wires by Yellowjackets. Heard a song from this on NPR and liked it. It is not often anymore I find music that I want to listen to.It was cold outside today, in the 40s. The garden needed another look, so we had a reoccurrence of 'lawn gnomes'. I need to knit a new hat, though.. could not find last year's hat. (March 2011 lawn gnomes) A ball that was outside and got lost in the brush,

of beets and rutabagas and nurses

2011-11-15T17:38:00.001-08:00

silver beet and cannellini soup recipe. This looks good.Lima beans originated in the Andes (think Lima Peru) and also in Mesoamerica. I happen to really like Lima beans... I think I'm the only one around here that does ;)There is beet and cannelini soup of my own making on the stove, not quite the recipe above, but apparently great minds think alike. Mine has some chicken in it. I have a

bits. trip, painting and more

2011-11-13T05:31:00.000-08:00

The 'Christmas Lights dress'altered McCalls 8001, circa 1961 size 5skirt given two inverted pleats to each side instead of one in the middleBelow, it is easier to see why I say the print looks like Christmas LightsIt is the fabric she chose for herself.Esme really likes her watercolors.She says she is painting an elephant, after watching Dumbo.It does kind of look like one!The weather is

homeschool

2011-11-11T22:24:00.000-08:00

Looking more into the homeschool laws... understanding why the lady told me to register with a 'church-related school' even if we were not going to teach religious curriculum. The laws are much more stringent about records filing and testing with the school-board associated homeschools than they are with the church-related school associated homeschools.This is what Esme and I did today -

Bambi Quilt in Progress....

2011-11-10T18:49:00.001-08:00

Extremely simple, two fabrics, a little thin batting and an edge binding, then some simple tack quilting in the middle area. This is one of the fabrics Grandma and Esme chose in Jackson. The dress is not visible except as a blur.. it is the modified McCalls 8001 pattern in the fabric from the Quilting Bee in Camden, TN. I'll have to let it have a starring post later on when possible... I

Wind and Butterflies

2011-11-08T12:36:00.000-08:00

I am further amazed by our garden today - I have no pictures of the produce but there is another hearty soup of tomato and shelled beans brewing downstairs. There were a few small green peppers and plenty of green tomatoes to pull and bring inside to turn. There were dried beans of both Shackamaxon and Whipporwill cowpeas and a few beautiful Mayflower beans. The Whipporwills have increased

reading progress

2011-11-08T04:45:00.000-08:00

Esme has begun to bring me story books again, and we have sat down and read them together. She sees Daddy and Mama reading all day - so she wants to get into this world, too -- and Mama is happy to spend time doing it, all good incentives. She is also in love with the WordWorld DVD we bought her and plays her Starfall website beside Daddy when he is coding his programming. All of that leads up

bits

2011-11-07T04:19:00.001-08:00

Mark and I are looking for some Spanish language resources to start Esme on. I found one on Youtube called Bookbox, and watched a few with her last night. I pick up languages fast (Latin, French, Spanish and German teaching books left to me by my dad when I was a kid ;). But to be honest, my pronunciation is terrible (especially on French) because of not having enough exposure to conversation.

randomness and a homeschooling book to look up

2011-11-05T17:23:00.001-07:00

+plus magazine <--magazine about math=refreshingformularyhow to build an octagonal frame. This is one of those things that my brain twitches about when I'm doing really boring things (like pacing aisles asking 'can I help you?' and can't really do anything 'in real life' about it... I need a miter box to make it in reality. Eh, we probably have one around here somewhere? I want to look

4 years old birthday party

2011-11-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

It was a big day today! We invited Grandma and Grandpa and Robert and Mikey and Gwynnie to the Dairy Queen to help us celebrate Esme's 4th birthday.balloonsWhat is on my head?Mikey and GwynnieDaddy discussing the merits of hot fudgeFunny Gwynnieshe turned 3 in Septemberballoon hat fundancing aroundNow what?Grandpa and Grandma had to 'help' unwrapwrapping paperHungry Hungry Hippos was (and still

finished McCalls 8001 - can't love it, but it works

2011-11-03T16:13:00.001-07:00

I finished McCalls 8001 dress tonight. As Esme says: "I can't love it" But, it does work. Remember it is a size five, which she just barely doesn't swim in. There is room for growth here. Take a look at how the skirt is open when she is sitting, and relaxed when she is standing. That was not easy to get right, and I still think I did it a little haphazard. The ties in the back were

tailed bits

2011-11-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

Mark went out in the woods yesterday and found our Nova dog with eleven puppies. He put them all in a box and brought them inside, which was a harrowing feat considering where he said he found them at. He said the pile of wood she was inside was collapsing as he tried to move near and among it... He is lucky he is scrawny and muscular - as a regular person would have still been out there with

Exploring the jungle of soup

2011-11-01T07:53:00.001-07:00

Esme is a nut! I hope Grandpa doesn't lose his coffee when he sees these pictures. Exploring the jungle of soup.. hmm what's this here?watching 'Tarzan', idolizing JaneFabulous...I asked her to smile!Is this future blackmail?I got the cupcake materials last night - as well as a few other presents for Esme. She is in FULL spirit today, if you have not noticed with the above pictures. I am also

bits

2011-10-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

Last night when I told Esme we were making invitations for a birthday party, she told me she had already done that, there was juice and pizza and balloons. That was Gwennie's party. She thought for a moment the party might be for the boy we were inviting.. and then I think she has it now that the birthday party is for HER. It might not have sunk in entirely... but she was VERY excited last

Elephant invitations

2011-10-29T18:37:00.000-07:00

Esme's birthday is next Friday. And, we have finally decided to do something more than Grandma's house for her.. Although, I took a long time deciding on it. We will invite two coworker's children and go get ice cream :) Mama will make orange frosted cupcakes as she was VERY wild about the orange and purple cupcakes that she saw at a store a few weeks back.Esme is kind of over-excited tonight

My Detective

2011-10-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

She told me three times what she was going to go get - I understood none of it. However, this is a common ensemble for her - the glasses and hat. The glasses are from a Mr. Potato Head toy and they have become one of her treasures she hides and finds again and again. The magnifying glass was something I picked up for her a few weeks ago (1.00 in the stationery section) Thanks to Daddy for

8001 has arrived and playing puzzles

2011-10-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

McCalls 8001 size 5Not much to say, this pattern has arrived and I hope to work with some of it tomorrow. I have some spare fabric I should dig out and put in the washer. I have red gingham fabric and some last of the Animal Town fabric to put together to make the dress on the right. I will need to find more (~ 2 yards of something) to try the coat with before I use my more expensive pink

Language notes nearing 4 years old

2011-10-24T18:07:00.000-07:00

Word/sentences I've heard recently: 'dream', 'minutes', 'hour', 'knitting', 'i'm the funny, you laugh', 'turn off the alarm', 'ballerina', 'xylophone', 'fathers (as compared to ladies)', 'what the he** was that', 'I will be-ing four years old', 'I can't love that - that a mama cup of tea', 'eat this later, put it in the fridge', 'make those dishes (wash them)', ''keep your mouth shut' (to Daddy

The Case of the Wiley Pants

2011-10-24T08:11:00.000-07:00

The pants pattern is Simplicity 6121I have been heard in public to say that I find making pants boring. This pattern heard me. This was the wiliest pair of pants I ever have tried to sew. Finally, I got them done, after two mistakes - one from being distracted (a big one that took an hour to remedy) and the second was just not interpreting directions properly. They're done. They fit. I see

Slow bird and worm

2011-10-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

First off, very glad to see Grandpa home and hope he is doing well. Mark says he does seem to be. I have tomorrow off but probably will not visiting out of general caution - people at work have not been well, flu and sinuses etc. Grandpa will need his energy and Esme takes much of OUR energy even without recent hospital visits... Take care Grandpa! McCalls 8001 size 5'slow' bird caught this

revisited bits

2011-10-22T06:19:00.000-07:00

Everyone is on the way to get Grandpa back this morning, except me.. I have to work again. Hope everyone has a safe and happy trip.

bits

2011-10-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

Grandpa went into the hospital yesterday, and Daddy and Esme and Grandma all went to the big city to bring him there. We hope they take good care of him and get him ready to come back home. I cleaned the house quite a bit while everyone was gone in the morning and before I went to work.. Mama was worried. All my loves out on the road at the same time! Mark said they had a good time at a

note to self

2011-10-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

The other night I looked at Esme all stretched out in her bed, arms and legs flailed one way and the other... extremely long legs. Sometimes lately it seems like she is ALL legs, as when I am lengthening pants patterns for the next go round... I thought to myself 'Is she really not even four yet? Isn't she somewhere around six or seven?' Looking at her there and knowing certain aspects of her

New dress for Esme, tunic shirt for Mama

2011-10-16T16:43:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Daddy for taking pictures of both of us. I hope Novia sees them, as she was asking for them on Facebook.putting on shoesBringing tomatoes to Grandmathe bag is weton second thought, she may be counting the tomatoes...Mama has an upcoming career as a mad scientist, eh?Esme's dress: Simplicity 5137, size 5, dated 1963. Sewn with no alterations except for the shortening of the skirt by

A surprise October harvest

2011-10-15T16:06:00.001-07:00

I went out to the garden this afternoon not expecting to find much... and was very surprised. Pleasantly so. Remarkably so. This is the middle of October, and look at all of the RED tomatoes. Some went into soup immediately, and some will go into a pizza or more soup to freeze tomorrow. There were also quite a lot of peppers - pimento, orange (well, green.. but they would have been orange)

here and there weekend

2011-10-15T07:54:00.000-07:00

I have the weekend off, and a lot of closing shifts next week. Maybe I'll get more done, but probably not. I had a headache to beat the band yesterday, that had started the day before. I'm feeling okay today but not as ambitious as usual. We might go to town and we might just stay home and loll (which for me, always is more.. but I have to work myself up to it). Esme is watching 'Tarzan' for

more painting and a bubble kitten

2011-10-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

Big smileI think there is more paint than truck by now.She insisted on painting it again...Squinting at her paintbrushlooks just like her Daddy doing this...Bubble kittentaking after her mother PogoWe didn't do a lot of 'homeschool' today, just let her paint paper and paint the truck again... talked a lot and played imaginary games. I brought my shirt down I needed to sew and got quite a bit of

more thoughts on projects

2011-10-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

Simplicity 5085don't have this one, but tracked it down froma partial picture on a lot at Ebay....I didn't need the entire lot!, so I'll have to wait for it to come up at another time.This pattern has really interesting side pleats and back belt, which intrigued me to track it down further. It has several features that would have me choose to do it over this coat I do have the pattern for,

a few thoughts on patterns

2011-10-11T17:18:00.000-07:00

Patterns I have marked for 'later' to buy and sew, someday.I would have to alter or find the right sizes for them.McCalls 2329, centennial dressthe bodice front shape is interesting6042 McCallsgorgeous child's dress and apronMcCalls 7089child robe and nightgown, raglan sleeves draw me to this oneLATER: Was looking at all of those patterns stalling doing something I knew I really needed to do

Playing with paints and glue

2011-10-10T20:07:00.000-07:00

watercolor paints and glueShe was showing off her new shoes in that last photo ;)I got a frame-like piece of wood today salvaged from some packaging. I hope I can turn it into a second easel for Esme, it is going to take looking at what other materials are in the garage and making a plan for it.

bitty black shoes and little big words

2011-10-09T18:07:00.000-07:00

We were in the store buying shoes and another older girl was there with her mom, giving her a very hard time. Esme made the mom feel bad by asking if the little girl hated her mommy. It was said just loud enough and clear enough I couldn't deny that was exactly what she had said. *hide* She doesn't really know about being difficult when she sees others do it *ha* even though she is

smatterings

2011-10-09T05:25:00.000-07:00

Esme spent some time with her Grandma yesterday, which was wonderful :) She must have expended a lot of energy as she was crashed when I came home - and only the promise of going painting made her agree to get up. We worked in the school room until about ten, and then I made her pack it up as I have this insanely early morning today. Grandma asked about her shoes - the only pair that seems to

homeschool ideas/supplies

2011-10-07T20:24:00.000-07:00

For three days (partial today, as I had to work) we have been in the new converted workshop--->school and Esme really loves it. She gets to paint, and glue, and read words we write on pictures and have conversations between man and woman bears *haha* She keeps "reading" me stories and painting keyholes on cardboard and 'opening' them with a paper key looking for treasure. Basically I want her to

My Kingdom for a Box

2011-10-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Or is that my kingdom as a box? Remember that awesome box I scored at work the other day? We finally got to working with it. It is the perfect castle shape, so I gave it a drawbridge.Welcome to my CastleInterior decoratinga little Tom SawyerC'mon Mom, you can do it, come in!Odd little curious George smile she doesIn other NewsThe Mayflower beans are about to give two seed pods and the

Make do and mend...

2011-10-06T12:56:00.001-07:00

Make do and mend book on Amazon. This book really is the epitomy of what I was taught as a child - and what I still do as an adult. It is a reprint of what was distributed in WWII to families to help them through the hard times. I'm sure I've seen bits and pieces of it over the years, but never the whole thing. I read through what Google Reader would let me and was amazed at the quality of

Treasures found... art made

2011-10-05T06:30:00.001-07:00

medium weight cotton 'denim' in mustardand light weight cotton denim in navyI found these fabrics last night after work... it was such a great find for very little money. Mark even said it was well spent.Esme's treasure troveI was cleaning this morning and getting ready to throw away/put away some of the little assemblages Esme makes on her shelves.. and I found these all hidden away between

47 months

2011-10-04T07:56:00.000-07:00

It's almost here, she will be four next month. I wonder if I am going to continue the monthly updates once we reach the 48 month mark... and I answer myself that I will, at least until 5. But I'll drop the months ;) and find some other way to make it easy to search back. After all, these are for her as much as me - to look back on one day. Also, I am sharing it with you, the reader, up until

collection of thoughts

2011-10-03T17:53:00.000-07:00

Flipped through a magazine at work today and found only two pages that had anything I could possibly live with in my house. What does that say about me? Hmm... Good things, I think. I rarely see anything in a 'design' book that is interesting enough to save for the future. These are like what I saw.a bedspread set like the one in a magazine. Definitely would do a darker bedspread but the

when the tomatoes are coming out your shirt sleeve...

2011-10-02T17:11:00.001-07:00

When the tomatoes are coming out your shirt sleeve it might be time to stop picking them and go inside and get a bucket! Ha, had you wondering where I was going, eh? Lots more yellow tomatoes today - I indeed had my shirt so full of them that they were coming down the shirt sleeve as they overflowed the makeshift pocket I was putting them in. I think they must have been hurried up by the

bit

2011-09-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

sometimes I don't know where she gets it from, Mark or me... but I am confirmed over and over that it is an 'interesting mix.' The humor and the deadpan together... it is hard to tell where one ends and one begins.We were watching the older Fantasia Dance of the Hours and I was telling her the 'choco-dye-as' crocodiles as she says them were going to eat the hippo that was asleep and she told me

Last day of September

2011-09-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

bouquet of zinniasharvestA few tomatoes, two peppers, lots of black eyed peas and a few assorted other cowpeas. About two quart bags of green beans, and another of yellow tomatoes. I gave all the split yellow tomatoes to the dogs and they ate them right up. There were enough field peas shelled out to fill one of those larger sour cream containers, about a pint, I think.dry whippoorwill cowpeas

46.75 months

2011-09-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

Wanted to save these here for the future, even though we are a week away from the 47 month update. Esme has taken an interest in writing letters lately - which is good, because Daddy was afraid in the computer era she'd never learn handwriting at all! Here are her attempts at a few things. Mine are on the left and her (sometimes multiple) attempts are on the right. These are two sides of the

Fall progress

2011-09-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

garlic, standard grocery store typebumblebee enjoying the bean flowersoverall look...The garden is coming along... most everything is growing. The beans from summer are still producing like crazy. The wheat and trial dent corn is coming up, and the garlic is coming up. My Mayflower and Shackamaxon beans are finally producing, and I got six lima beans off of one of the plants that is having a

bit

2011-09-27T16:51:00.001-07:00

The garlic is up in the garden - tiny spikes! Not much else to report, just a bit of a rant.... I seriously need to get to the thrift store to find some jeans to fit me better. I was wearing a pair of 'pre-Esme' jeans today, hoping to stretch my wardrobe some. They finally fit again, but were old and not going to stand up to the kind of repetitive washing they are being put through and all of

A hippo and crew

2011-09-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

button teaprototypeI haven't decided whether this will be the 'larger' or 'smaller' version... Esme said it was the mama when I was thinking it was the baby.The whole crew is having 'button tea.'It is raining and dark again... who pulled that number for all of my days off? Anyway, no dress pictures for a while again.. just imagine pink and purple versions of this one, but the purple has a much

My mind's eye has an odd point of view

2011-09-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

I have a very active imagination, and it doesn't stop when I go to sleep. Last night in a dream I was going through a fishing basket of small stuffed toys in a large sitting room that seemed right out of some magazine (probably was, I looked at several last week and my photographic memory does things like that). The little 'sitting room' was off of a larger 'antique shop' which is a common