my latest projects

a couple of weeks ago MFM sent me a link to a website that showed you how to make one of those adorable "corsage" t shirts.  sooo, last night i made my first attempt at making one.  i decided to make a small child t shirt first--you know, less fabric to cover, less time to complete, etc...just in case.

here is an example of one made by j.crew~

and here is my little girl version~a little 'fluffier'

my other project this week has been to help MDE and her friends make their costumes for the gump day parade at school.  MDE and 4 of her friends are going to be high school musical 3--graduation day.  we were able to find some cheap red graduation robes/caps/2008 tassels.  the sashes, though, were somewhat pricey.  in my naive 'wisdom', i said they can't be that hard  to make and the fabric was cheap.  well.....i am by no means a seamstress, so although it took a really long time and several goof ups--we got them made.  the girls also decorated the graduation caps with the college that their character will be attending.  i think they look really cute.  i will post pictures after the parade--they want the big reveal to be a surprise until then!!!

and lastly, MTSC and 2 of his friends have finally decided what they want to dress up in for the parade. sooo, MTSC and i will be 'making' the biggest piece tomorrow {thursday night}...nothing like waiting until the last minute--the parade is early friday morning.  i'll post pictures of that too after the parade.

and let me be completely honest--i would much rather be working on projects than doing anything else around the house...

i smile when...

•  i think about the grace of God given freely to me through belief in Jesus Christ...{romans 5:15-17}
•  MHD and i go out for a simple dinner
•  MTSC sits and visits with me...usually we are discussing the latest XBox 360 game or a sporting event but it's special any way.
•  MDE asks for help with a craft...or wants to watch something we have tivo'd...or even just wants to be in the same room as me when i am cooking
•  my corgi penny snuggles with me
•  i watch MDE dance...she is absolutely radiant...shining the Light for all to see
•  i get to take a 'guilt-free' nap
•  i get to spend time with my 'church ladies' and their precious kids
•  ben & jerry are sittin' in my freezer
•  and most of all...when my friends read my blog and leave their comments!

a new {to me} discovery...i

i'm sure it comes as no surprise that i love flowers...particularly peonies and ranunculuses.  but these flowers are only in season in late spring/early summer.  so what do you do in the fall?  well...i have recently been smitten with dahlias.  i had no idea how fabulous they were until i saw them used for a party shared on simplesong.  

i saw these beautiful arrangements at the stunning blog the full bouquet.

don't these just shout fall?

 so gorgeous...

and now that i have 'discovered' these beauties, i need to come up with a wonderful reason to have some in my house!!!

a tale of my teenage son...{be prepared--it's long!}

i would like to share a tale with you...one that involves me and MTSC {he will be 15 in two weeks}.  he is a sweet, somewhat clueless young man--people assure me that cluelessness is a trait seen in many a teenage boy.  ok, so here is the story...
it begins about a month ago...let's just say, oh september 14:

me: hey, now that you are in high school, are you going to ask a date to the Homecoming dance {on october 17}?

MTSC:  i don't know...

me:  ok, just remember that if you do ask someone, it is proper to ask several weeks in advance...plus, you need to get a jacket or suit to wear.

MTSC:  ok

around september 28:

me:  have you decided if you are going to ask a date for homecoming?

MTSC: no...i don't think i will.  MFR and i want to just hang out at main event {an arcade/bowling alley} or something.

me:  ok, but don't forget that i will be out of town the week of homecoming so if you do ask someone we will need to go shopping for a jacket before dad and i leave for our trip on october 10.
MTSC:  got it.


around september 30:
MTSC:  MFR asked someone to Homecoming.
me:  really?  do you want to ask someone now?  don't forget to do it soon so we can shop for a jacket before i leave.
MTSC:  ok.


not much else was said...i left it alone...MHD and i left for a week long trip to san diego on october 10th.  i thought we would fly home on the 17th, i would help MDE with her hair {we had gotten her beautiful dress in chicago when we were there in june}, take a few pics, and then unpack, relax, maybe even watch some mindless tv.


well.  
the kids' school has a tradition of building class floats on the wednesday night during homecoming week {just one of many traditions}.  all was well.  then my phone rings in CA...it's MDE, wednesday night, october 14th--our story continues...


MDE: {after chatting about many other things}  hey, mom, C asked someone to the homecoming dance at float building.
me:  what?  when?
MDE:  yeah, all the football coaches were telling the freshmen guys who hadn't asked anyone to go ahead and ask. so he did.  he asked KF.
me:  oh my!


thursday, october 15th--t minus 2 days
me:  you need to find out what color KF's dress is and then order a nosegay and i guess you and dad will have to shop for a jacket when we get home.
MTSC:  ok.


friday, october 16th--t minus 1 day
me:  did you get the flowers ordered?
MTSC: yeah
me:  what are your dinner plans?
MTSC:  not sure 
me:  please find out before we get home.


saturday, october 17th--homecoming dance day
6:15am CA time--ate about 1/2cup of kashi island vanilla cereal and peet's coffee {this is relevant for later on in the day, trust me}
9:30am CA time--board plane home
11:00am CA time/1:00pm TX time {on the airplane}--ate 1 snickerdoodle cookie
2:45pm TX time--land, head home
4:00pm  MHD and MTSC go to the gap, target, old navy, and finally dillards in hopes of finding a jacket.  plans are for the boys to meet their dates at one of the girls' house for pics at 6pm, then off to the restaurant.
5:30pm--MDH calls, they finally find a jacket...a little too much $, but if i could bring them a shirt to donate, they could get 30%off.  {really?}  so i find a dress shirt in MDH's closet, and meet them at a gas station, trade the shirt for MTSC {so he can shower} and MHD heads back to the store for the jacket.
5:55pm--MDE's hair is done and we are off to meet up with MTSC's friends across town.  we pull in front of the "meeting house" and see no cars.  hmmm.  MTSC calls his FR and his date.  the meeting time is 6:30.  hmmm, again.  so we drive around a bit...and i realize--i'm starving!  oh yeah, i haven't really had much to eat today.  MDH and i will get something after we drop off the kids.  whew.
6:30pm--in front of the "meeting house"
MTSC and his two friends ring the doorbell.  nothing.  ring again.  nothing.  again.  nothing.  about 10minutes pass.  find out we are all at the wrong house. 

cute pic of the boys at the wrong house.

ok.  we go to the right house, take pics, take the kids to the restaurant, and get a fresh grilled burger and fries to take home to eat from central market. can i tell you that this burger was the tastiest thing i have ever eaten...boy, it was so satisfying.  and i was beat.  i hope MTSC learned something from this experience--i sure did...

some of MTSC and his friends...
 MTSC is the one in the white sneakers!
gotta love him!!!  

MBeautifulDE + her awesome friends

beauty...

 last night....

panda cub update...

for those of you that have joined me in being distracted by watching the pandas...here is a very cute update!

and although this is a still shot of a live video...i was watching this in real time and the little cub was trying to crawl and just fell over--so fun!

my latest distraction...

as if i didn't have enough trouble dealing with distractions every day, i now have a new distraction...i love watching the panda cam at the san diego zoo!  

this is the newest cub to be born...he was born august 5, 2009 to bai yun.  i watch, mesmerized by how gentle mama bai yun is to the young cub {he has not been named yet}.

these pics are actually still shots that you can save while watching the live video. isn't technology incredible!!

i will wrap up this post with the cutest video of the cub at his fifth exam on september 29.  he was 55 days old.  be sure to listen for his vocal displeasure during the exam {around the 50 second mark}...