Questionable Crafting...

 ((Warning)) If you're afraid of dolls close this page immediately! 

I am not a crafty person. I like to draw occasionally and dream about things I might like to do if I had the patience, money, time, talent etc.... So when I realized that I was DYING to sew something it surprised me! I haven't had any desire to sew since high school sewing class, 14 years ago, when I attempted to make a pair of blue corduroy overalls with sunflower buttons.... I almost went crazy and completely lost my desire to sew.

A while back I picked up a small (very small) sewing kit for button repair and such. When the desire to sew something came back to me I was so grateful for that little kit! I scrounged around and found a pillow case and some sturdy paper and began to draw a pattern for a doll. Yes, my first project is this doll. I guess I figured it would be an easy instant gratification project with little complication. 

It has been fun and slightly frustrating due to the fact that I've had to hand sew everything and I've never made a doll before. There are many things I will change for the next doll. Yes, there will be another doll at some point. This one needs some clothes and a few other details but overall it has been extremely gratifying and inspiring to actually use a needle and thread to create something.

The only drawback to making dolls is Chris' reaction. Tonight he came in after work, admired my handy work and then said "if it comes after me with a knife in the middle of the night, you know that I will have to burn it...." Of course, I would have no objections at that point.

"Dr. Laura Say It"

O.K., I was just talking to sister Heidi and I told her a story regarding Anders and his using the word Damn. She said that I really should blog this one. (Yes I'm going to write the whole word out in this entry.) We've almost eliminated the word completely although every once in a while he'll decide to say it and see our reaction. Very enduring....

So, one day I'm driving in the car and listening to Dr. Laura on the radio. I usually have her on if I'm in the car between 12:00 and 3:00. I know that Anders can hear the radio but I didn't think he paid much attention to it.

At one point in the show, Dr. Laura used the word Damn. Immediately Anders laughs and says "Damn-it! Dr. Laura say it!!" Oh darn.... I didn't even know he knew Dr. Laura's name! 

Now when he says that word I say "How about using some nice words instead" (happy cheery voice). So Anders says loudly "darn-it, shoot, poopy cow!"  Hmmm, I guess I need to continue working on what "nice" words are.

Oh, and I probably need to work on curtailing my own exclamations!

So Lately we've had fun watching a couple of movies with Anders. He is at the age where he will sit through a whole movie and remember it later. The two favorites are Cars and Wall-E.  Every once in a while Anders will reach over and hold my hand and say "Eve-a". It's pretty darn cute. Of course I have more fun watching Anders and Chris while they are watching a movie.

Eventually it will be fun to go to a Theater and we are really looking forward to that!

Happy Purim

I was doing a little research about the holiday of Purim, which falls today on March 10. It's an interesting holiday because it is based on the book of Esther which is one of my favorite books of the Bible.

If you are interested in the traditions of this holiday I'm posting a link for more information.  I'll be rereading Esther today and thinking about the bravery she had and how that bravery saved a whole nation of people. 

My sister Heidi's church celebrated Purim on Friday with a traditional play which will be re-shown tonight at 8:00 Texas time or 6:00 Cali time. Here is the link to her blog

Beach Day

Here are a few pictures of the hour we spent at the beach today. It doesn't help that Chris is almost albino and neither  of us has seen too much of the sun lately, we had to call it short so that we wouldn't be burnt to a crisp. The weather was sunny, breezy and almost cold. But it felt so nice to be outside soaking up some Vitamin D. 

No Friends

Today while Anders and I were playing on the floor in his room, the song "Lonely Girl" by Eddie Holman was playing in the back ground. I was singing along quietly "hey there lonely girl, lonely girl...." and Anders decided to join in singing. Except he didn't quite know the lyrics so he sang "no-oo friends, no-ooo friends....."

A Good Man

Tomorrow is March 4th. Three years ago Chris and I made the final decision to "march fourth" and begin a life together. We started out our marriage with a major life change ahead of us. We only had three months of married life before our little preemie Anders joined our family. Since then it has been a whirlwind of activity and responsibility, of changes and constants.

 Although sometimes it has been trying and more than a bit tiring I wouldn't change our life for another. Chris has been a faithful provider, a loving husband and father and I am so thankful for a man who has embraced the challenges of family life so well. So, thank you Chris for sitting with Anders when he needs to "work it out", for bringing home the bacon, slaying the dragons and for staying mostly sane while doing so.  I truly look forward to many more years of marching forth together.