sick kids suck

emily was home from school yesterday.  i had to pick her up on tuesday because of a slight fever.  the fever never came back, but she was feeling pretty poopy for most of the day yesterday.  so the crankies did not come from the constipation monster, as i had suspected, but a darn cold.  and now, oh how fun....i think david has it.  crap.  which means, hubs and i are next in line.  and there is NOTHING worse than a sick hubby.  sorry, pal...my sympathy for you flew out the door the night emily was born. 

emily still seemed a little out of sorts this morning.  i'm hoping she makes it through the day. 

i just confirmed a babysitter for the night of my sissy's wedding!  marie is getting married on a friday night.  the kids are in the wedding, but by the time the ceremony and the traditional intros, etc. are finished they're going to be pooped!  i keep in touch with one of emily's old therapists, and she has kindly agreed to basically sit on the couch and watch tv while they sleep! lol  luckily the venue is only about 10ish minutes from our house.  the jammies will be coming with us so we can put them right to bed when we get home.  thank goodness bed time is pretty easy for us.  we shouldn't have any issues.  then, mommy and daddy can go dance the night away.  ok, i hate to dance, but i think i can make an exception because A) its my sissy's wedding, and B) not having to keep an eye on your kids in a room full of people is reason enough to dance!! :o)

david's quilt is coming along.  should be finished this weekend!!  well, i think.  i have to bake hubs a bday cake for sunday, and on saturday we're taking the kids back to shop rite for more cake decorating!!  so its going to be a busy weekend, but the weather is going to be gorgeous...that always puts a little fire up my butt! 

oh well.  i have to go wash the sicky sheets and clean the floors today...exciting stuff, i know!

wordless wednesday

at least MOST of it ended up on the paper.

5 minutes for mom

wordless wednsday

mock edible arrangement tutorial

ok, my other post from today is pretty boring...then i remembered about my mock edible arrangement from marie's shower!  here we go.
*note* completely ignore that you are about to see a watermelon!  pretend it is all pineapple.  watermelon DID NOT work...it was too heavy and slid down the skewers! but of course, i only took pics of the watermelon. 

you will need:
a sturdy container (i used a flower pot...clean, of course!)
Styrofoam block
easter grass or some sort of filler
wooden or bamboo skewers
pineapple, grapes, strawberries, cantaloupe, honey dew
kitchen scissors
flower cookie cutter
melon baller

squeeze styrofoam block into  container, slice off the corners with a serrated knife.

stuff a little easter grass into the gaps and a little over the top of the block.

slice pineapple into about one inch slices, cut out flower shapes

slice melons in half, clean out seeds, then use melon baller to scoop out, well, balls!

insert skewers into strawberries, being careful to not come through the top

insert skewers at an angle into the pineapple, coming out about an inch to and inch and a half.  place a melon ball on the skewer to create the flower center.

place grapes and the remaining melon balls onto skewers.

start building your arrangement.  i placed the pineapple flowers in first, then started filling in with the rest of the fruit.  i used the strawberries to fill in any holes.  use kitchen scissors to cut skewers for shorter stems.

once fruit is in place, stuff a little more easter grass in between skewers to cover any styrofoam that shows.

*notes for next time*:

*make this the day/morning of the event.  some of the fruit slid down the skewers...nothing i couldn't fix, but it could have been avoided all together.

*make the sticks a little shorter next time.  i think i will be able to hide more of the skewers if everything is a little shorter. 

*measure the frige!!  this came out pretty tall, and just fit in the frige after taking out a shelf!(thank goodness we have two friges!!) lol

i think this will be a fun, fresh addition to any summer barbecue or graduation party...or bridal shower!!!

what to do today?

ok, i'm not sure how this is possible, but i don't really have too much to do today.  after all of the shower craziness i feel like i'm on vacation!  lol  my fingers are crossed that young mr.d will be a nice, sweet, charming little boy today.  *sigh* a girl can dream, can't she? 

emily has been crabby since last night...i'm thinking the constipation monster is in town. her bus driver(yes, the one i don't like) asked me if i would be able to meet her @ the police station tomorrow to pick emily up(its just down the street from us) because she has to go sign papers @ a lawyers office.  i care because, why?  ugh, but my nice, agreeable self kicked in, and i said yes.  however, while sorting the laundry i decided that i will just go pick emily up at school tomorrow.  who wants to sit in the car with a squirmy-doesn't-want-to-be in-the-car-toddler waiting for the bus to arrive...NOT ME!  so yeah, i'll pick her up, thanks.

new project!  i'm making david a quilt for his bday.  i found some great robots and rockets fabric..i'm in love with the colors!

i just have to finish cutting the blocks tonight, then i can start sewin'!

i'll be back to my 'ol busy self next week for sure.  we're having cake for david and celebrating mother's day next sunday.  well, since david's bday falls on mother's day this year, i figured lets just kill 2 birds with one stone!  yes, i'm a glutton for punishment. 

hope you all have a great day! :o)

showers of happiness

 we had a loose "kitchen themed" shower.  we sent recipe cards with the invitations asking guests to give marie their favorite recipe then bring one non perishable ingredient for the wishing well.(she and her fiance live together, so they don't really need the typical gadgets that you'd get in a wishing well)

 it was a beautiful day!  my sister looked stunning, the sun was shining, and everyone had a great time. 
*warning* LOTS of pics to follow!!

 i made a knock off version of an edible arrangement! 

here is the ruffle apron and oven mitt that i made for her!(btw, it seemed like i made alot more for her, but apparently it was all in my head, because i only made this and another full apron!!  der)

this was the most teary part of the shower.  i gave her a vintage locket pin with our grandmother's picture inside.  i told her that she could pin it to her flowers or in her dress.

here we are with mom

emily only wanted to look @ marie, not the camera!

she was pretty tired by this point!!

oh, and here is a crappy pic of the other apron!

being a twin, its hard to have your "own" day.  everything is shared; birthdays, holidays, milestones, etc.  i'm so happy that marie had a great time even though she felt a little out of sorts with all of the attention.  only 39 days until her wedding.  she is going to be a beautiful bride.  can't wait. 

chicken with my head cut off

yep, that's me.  i tried to prepare in advance for the madness that would take place today, but it got me anyway!  marie's shower is tomorrow.  i'm super excited, but not ready yet!!  nothing is 100% finished...ie: still need to wrap a couple of gifts, need to make the truffles, fruit display, and rugelach, also need to put the finishing touches on the game we'll be playing.   i grabbed half and half instead of heavy cream, so i have to wait till hubby picks it up on his way home, forgot to take the butter out of the freezer...so that's coming to room temp now.  yes, i predict a long night!  lol at least the laundry is half done and my headache went away!!  so this is what gave me some feel-better vibes today(other than david being as good as gold--thank you very much--someone is looking out for me!)

this is me in 1983, age 2:

 

here is emily 2009, age 3:

can you say "WHOA"? 

oh well.  this was a much needed little break from the craziness!  now its time to get back to it!  wish me luck! lol

bad tina, baaad....

i have been a terrible, terrible blogger lately!!  i have so much going on-mostly because my sister's bridal shower and wedding are swiftly approaching!!  i've been sewing like a mad woman for her shower gifts...which i have now decided to cut one out because i am just spreading myself too thin.  i haven't even gotten a good workout in...and that's bothering me.  10-20 minutes isn't going to get me that rock hard body that i dream about!  lol, i was kidding...this stretched out baby belly ain't goin' nowhere fast unless i hit the lottery, or find some rich uncle that's about to kick it!  i miss blogging regularly.  its a way for me to stay connected to all of you lovely people out there...to be able to have somewhat of an adult conversation during the day.  i think after my sissy's shower next weekend, i should be able to get back on a better schedule...you'll be able to follow along with me on future projects(and there are lots floating in my head!).  this sucks not being able to write about what i've been up to...but i have to keep nosy peepers at bay!  i'm still checking out your blogs almost daily, and comment when i can...i'm trying not to be totally lame!! 

the kids are doing great!  emily had her 4 year physical, and she is A-OK!  now i have to make her appointment with the neurologist for that check up...i'm putting it off a little, because i know that we'll make the drive and he'll have nothing new to say!  david is a pain in my butt these days.  he's not being bad per say,  but man, he's a ball buster!!  he knows all of my buttons and when to push them!!  his new "trick" is picking his nose and giving me his boogers.  lovely. 

hubs is looking into a new job.  that makes me nervous, but excited at the same time.  he's been at his current job now for almost 8 years.  hasn't had a raise in 4, OT has been cut for more than a year(which really hurts us with me not working), health insurance sky rocketed a few months ago, and they just laid 9 people off last week.  we're confident that his job is safe, but even when the economy picks up there really isn't anywhere else for him to go with the company.  he's just in talks right now with the new job.  it will be a tough decision if the talks go well.  we have kids to feed and a house to stay in...it will be scary to start a new job...but the new one sure does have its perks!  i'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will all work out. 

that's the skinny on us.  oh...speaking of skinny...only 6 lbs to go before i'm back @ my wedding weight!!  hellooo light at the end of the tunnel!! 

wordless wednesday

'nough said.

wordless wednesday

5 minutes for mom

hot/cold therapy pack tutorial

you'll need:

sewing machine

coordinating thread

scissors/rotary cutter

ruler

pins
fabric of your choice
coordinating ribbon
long grain rice(i've heard that long grain hold heat better)
*1/4 inch seam allowance

cut 2 pieces of fabric 6 1/2 x 12 1/2(now, by all means make this as big or as small as you want it...i was "winging it ~ again!)

put them together, right sides facing.  sew around three edges, leaving one of the short sides open.  trim the bottom corners.  turn ride side out, and press.  fill 3/4 of bag with rice.

fold in open side 1/4-1/2 inch, sew closed.  don't forget to backstich!  i also went over my straight stitch with a zigzag...that rice isn't going anywhere!!!(forgot to take a pic of that, sorry guys!)

*its a little difficult to sew something when its full of rice...so take your time!

you can stop here if you'd like, but i thought it would be nice to have a removable cover to be able to wash it.

so...cut 4 pieces of fabric 7 1/2 x 13 1/2.  cut 2 pieces of ribbon--long enough to tie a bow when you're finished.

sandwich the ribbon in the center between two pieces of fabric-right sides together~pin in place.  sew around three edges, again, leaving the short side open. (back stitch over the ribbon to make sure its not going anywhere!)  i also left a little over hang of ribbon, so i could see where it was...trim that before turning it right side out.

snip the two corners, turn right side out and press.  repeat for remaining fabric and ribbon.

if you used 2 different fabrics as pictured, decided which one you'd like to be showing(i supposed this could also be reversible though!!)  sew three edges together, turn right side out, press.  slide rice bad inside.  (mine was snug...like trying to put a pillow in a pillow case.  so if you want, make the cover slightly larger.)  tie ribbon, trim ends and singe with a lighter so they don't fray(or use fray check...whatever you have on hand)  

its ready to go!!  throw in the freezer, or microwave for one minute at a time until its as hot as you want it!!

my sissy gets migraines, so she likes hers in the freezer.

also linking up @ its so very cheri

handmade birthday

i can fiiinally share the gifts that i made for my sissy!!  its been killing me to not post these!  lets get started, shall we?

 a little webbing, fabric and a buckle, and we've got a cute belt that goes with just about anything!

some small wooden beads+fabric=cute bracelet!

how about turning some long grain rice into a hot/cold therapy pack with removable cover?(which sissy loves, btw!)

(i should be posting a tutorial for this sometime this week)

finally, a cute ruffle shirt that will be perfect for her honeymoon!!

i got the tutorial here

 

i was so worried about doing an all handmade birthday, but everything turned out really nice!

onto the shower gifts!!!