Sewing for Cherubs

Spring

A bucket of soapy water to clean off a long-unused table...

 

A trek into the woods...

 

A few wildflowers gathered...

 

And suddenly, it's springtime once again.

 

Time for lots of dinners on the deck!

The Whole World

A conversation with Superman from earlier today:

Superman: "I love you, Mommy."
Me: "I love you too, Superman."
Superman: "I love the whole WORLD!"

(I'm pretty sure that's exactly how it's supposed to work, by the way. Our children love us, we love them even more, and they take that love and pass it on to the whole world.)

Zipping Along

 

My daughter amazes me. She is much more brave than I was at her age. I was lucky enough to spend two days chaperoning her school field trip to camp last week. She got to enjoy lots of new experiences, including taking a daring ride on a zip line from 40 feet up. With my feet firmly and safely planted on the ground, I had a perfect opportunity to capture the moment in this photograph.

Putting the Pieces Together

What is it about kids and puzzles? They seem made for each other. My kids have always loved taking the box of pieces and ending up with a picture.

 

I think puzzles are a good analogy for life. You get a box of pieces that are all jumbled up and don't make much sense, but with a little time and effort, things start to come together.

And then, at some point, you have a beautiful picture and you can see that each piece had a place and a meaning.

I don't believe that everything happens for a reason. Having a handicapped child cured me of that. My Superman did not deserve to have feet that don't do all the things he wants them to do, and I do not believe that he was given this burden to better his life or to better the lives of others. Of COURSE his life would be better without his handicap, and inflicting pain and discomfort on an innocent child in order to better the lives of others seems very cruel. The God I believe in does not do that.

However, I do think that Superman (and we, as his parents) have the power to make something very good come out of this challenge. Superman has inspired many people with his positive attitude and his cheery disposition, and I am sure he will continue to inspire others throughout his life. He does not let his feet stop him from attempting anything -- and accomplishing many things. He inspires me to attempt the impossible in my own life.

 

And this, I think, is how Superman is taking the jumbled box of mismatched pieces that were given to him by fate and circumstance, and turning it into an unexpectedly beautiful picture.

A Little Sunshine, Please?

I'm not going to lie about it: This winter has been long, cold, and dreary. I am so ready for some spring, warm temps, and sunshine. So, in an effort to bring a little sunshine into my sewing room, I have been sewing mostly with bright colors lately. Today's installment: sunshine yellow. Thanks for looking!

First, a custom order for two brothers:

 

And two items for my next stocking, Monday 2/21 at Universal Mama.
Aliens on Yellow Lap Tee/Hat Set, NB:

 

Organic Sunshine Lap Tee/Hat Set, NB:

 

I'm feeling warmer already! How about you?

Valentine Madness, Valentine Love

 
(Valentine snack, prepared for Superman's class party)

I suspect I'm not the only Mom out there who is positively worn out from yesterday's festivities.

First, there was the preparation for the big day, which for me involved searching through three different stores for just the right candy and cards, followed by nagging - I mean encouraging - three children to sit still long enough to create, prepare, and address Valentine cards for their whole class. Oh, and I was also up quite late on February 13th washing fruit and cutting out tiny heart-shaped turkey sandwiches.

Then, there was the actual day, which included one Valentine breakfast, one party, and one lunch, all at three different schools in various parts of town. In between schools, I also managed to sneak over to The Bossman's office to drop off a huge cheesy card when he wasn't looking (he loved the surprise).

Yes, it was quite a production. But as I racked up the miles in the Mommy-Van, I found myself grinning from ear to ear. Because you know what? Valentine's Day, like life, is definitely not about the love you receive. It's about the love you give. And it felt great to give all that love yesterday!

Hungry Hungry Hippos

Reason #641 to be a parent: Re-discovering (at age 39) how much fun it is to play Hungry Hungry Hippos.

 

Sewing Room Snapshot :: Tons of Tees

Wow, I am actually in my sewing room today! It's good to be back in there. Here is a sneak peek at what I am working on today. I cut out a stack of newborn lap tee/hat sets and am busy sewing them up. Some of this is for a baby gift for a dear friend and the rest is for my shop. Whatever I manage to get done by Monday, I will stock at Universal Mama. Watch this space or my Facebook page for details on Monday.

 

Unfortunately for me, my sewing room has also become a storage area recently. In the above photo you probably noticed (1) evidence of late nights playing Guitar Hero with friends; and (2) leftover balloons from our New Year's celebration. Maybe I can re-claim this space and organize/re-decorate it for a 2011 project.

Wordless Wednesday :: In the Rain

 
{Radar and The Princess boarding the plane to Disney ... The rest of us were not far behind. Photo taken by my Dad.}

 

Ten for Tuesday

Well, what's on my mind today?...

1.) Due to budget cuts, our local school system elected to lengthen the school day and take longer summer/winter breaks this year. The end result is my kids are still off from school and not going back until next week. I am surprisingly OK with this; it has been nice to have them home, and they haven't started driving each other crazy or fighting like cats and dogs yet. I'm expecting that to commence any minute now.

2.) Because of this extra-long winter break, we decided to take a family vacation to Disneyworld! It was our kids' first time there, and yes, it was indeed magical.

3.) Not so magical: The flights there and back. Can you say turbulence? On the last leg of our flight home in a ridiculously small plane with 20 mph winds, even the flight attendant looked nervous.

4.) Interestingly, my kids were not the least bit scared by all that turbulence. In fact, they conversed LOUDLY and with glee about how much it felt like Space Mountain. I am not entirely certain that the surrounding adult passengers enjoyed that conversation. I guess kids' minds don't go where adult's minds do.

5.) Despite all that, I will fly again. It is still my preferred mode of travel and I don't think we should make decisions based on fear. Besides, the world looks pretty darn amazing from 30,000 feet.

6.) My kids brought home Mickey sweatshirts, Mickey ears, and new toys from Disneyworld. I brought home a nasty head cold. I think there should be a law that Mommies are not allowed to get sick. It hardly seems fair. Even if I feel awful, there are still meals to be prepared and bottoms to wipe. Hopefully not at the same time.

7.) I'm not sure I should have typed that little joke about preparing meals and wiping bottoms. I promise I don't do both at the same time.

8.) Back home today, it is cold and dreary outside with a dusting of snow (not enough to play in). It's definitely a soup-in-the-crockpot kind of day. Too bad my kids won't eat the soup; I'll have to make them sandwiches or some other alternative. At least my house will smell great and feel cozy, and The Bossman and I will enjoy a warm, soothing dinner. How do you get kids to eat soup? I guess it's something about all that stuff being mixed together that freaks them out. I have no room to talk though, I didn't eat soup until I was in college.

9.) Speaking of fighting like cats and dogs (see #1), my father related a very funny story yesterday. He and my mother were driving the kids somewhere, and all three of them were packed into the backseat. Not surprisingly, these close quarters inspired some sparring. As The Princess punched Radar, Superman joined in and began throwing punches too. My father sternly lectured all three kids, and told The Princess, "You are being a bad influence on Superman." Superman did not agree with my father's assessment and responded matter-of-factly, "I was born punching!"

10.) My sewing room has been calling me. I think I feel some creativity coming on... just as soon as I can get these kids back in school.