Funny stories for today

This afternoon Nate and I took the kids to the beach. We have now (after today) learned that the beach gets VERY windy after 4pm so beach time is now from 11am to 3pm. While Nate and I are wrapped in towels watching the fearless kids play in the sand. Cori and Joel both made volcano looking castles with ditches around to protect from the waves. The kids were getting really mad at the water/waves for crashing into their sand castles. It was fun for me to watch.

This past week my mom kept my nephew Lucas for 3 days. This is the first time she has kept him at her house. He usually stays with Aunt Val, Uncle Nate, Cordi (cori) and Joel. I talked to Mom and Lucas each day on skype which was fun. Lucas kept asking when we were going to come over and play. That was hard to answer. Anyway by the 3rd day Lucas understood that we were in California and would tell us where his house was and where our house was.

Look at that Smile!!!!!!

Surprises for Nana, from Lucas.
#1   Mom bought a small plastic pool for Lucas to swim in. She got him all dressed in his swimsuit and the pool all filled up. Lucas went out, got naked and then jumped in the pool....thought it was a giant bathtub. He is 2 1/2 so mom let him keep swimming. She also told him not to pee or poop in her pool. He did not. He got out of the pool and proceded to poop in the patio beside the pool.....not in the pool, nana......is what he told her.

#2  Nana gave Lucas 2 poptarts for snack his first day there. Nana did not ask if Lucas ate both poptarts. Nana went to go to bead that night and found a HUGE pile of ants in her bed. Guess where the other poptart went???????

Nate's new Photo Class

Here is the movie poster Nate made for his PhotoShop class. He has been taking this class for 9 weeks. For his final, he had to make a movie poster with 24 pictures and some in black n white and some in color. This is a really cool poster that he made. The pictures are ones we took while in Texas at Amy and Tyson's wedding weekend. Most all of the family was able to make the drive for the wedding and we all had a great time.

Weekend Fun!

Friday morning  the kids and I did a photoshoot in our front yard....with the rocks and creek that flows thru the walkways and buildings. It was a lot of fun with lots of smiles and laughter.

Saturday was a day of fun, shopping, checking out the 2 story Target at the mall, washing the car, and letting the kids go to movie night at the neighbors. They watched "The Spy next Door" and said it was really funny. Cori and her friend Taylor, set up the seating, made snacks, tickets, and door prizes for the group.

Sunday we went to Calvery Chapel in Costa Mesa for the first time. The building was nice and big with rows of chaoisr outside in case you want to enjoy the weather while listening to the sermon. The music was not our style of worship. We prefer more upbeat music at a faster pace. They only had a guitar that was not very loud so the music was more accupela. The sermon was okay, again just not our style of preaching. We will continue to look for a church we fit into as the weeks go by.

Sunday, I also went to orientation for my job. I start the traiing program on Wednesday. I am going to have a lot to learn but I think I am going to love working there. We have 3 different uniforms depending on the part of the restaurant we are serving in.

Today is Nate's last day of training. He is already loving his new job and the food. He was able to try at least 10 dishes a day until he had tried the entire menu. He brought a couple of the dishes home and the rest of us got to try them out. They were really good.

Today I had to drag the sewing machine out of the garage and get to work. I have pants to hem, an apron to hem (b/c it hits the floor instead of mid-calf), 2 shirts to make button holes and buttons for the collar, land earn to tie a tie.

New Friend Friday!

This is my New Friend Friday post from The Girl Creative. Visti your friends this Friday and have some fun reading other blogs. New Friend Friday  

The Sewing Saga

I started sewing when Cori was 2 1/2. I wanted to make her fun print dresses and outfits. I also thought that I needed a new hobby because a 6 month old, a 2 year old and working was not enought for me. So my mom taught me how to read a pattern and thread my bobbin and I was off on my sewing adventure. I bought a new sewing machine after about a week of using my moms. I wanted to make sure I liked the whole sewing thing before I bought my own machine. (which Nate immediatly wanted to take apart to see how it works - he didnt) I made all kinds of outfits with funky patterns, even made the dress Cori wore in my brothers wedding.

After all the sewing of clothes, I needed a bigger challange. Cori was getting tired of my "hand-made" clothes and everyone kept having boys so there were no cute little girls to make clothes for. So I started branching out into quilts and blankets. I Love To Quilt. It is more fun than sewing clothes but it takes longer. I made quilts for just about everyone in the family. I have not done any sewing in about 6 months. I have been so busy with planning to move, moving and getting life going in CA that sewing has not been on my mind. So right now the sewing machine is packed away waiting for me to have the "time" to sew again.

Then I had my mom teach me how to knit. I have been working on a couple of blankets and scarves. I love the convienence of knitting. I can take it with me to people's house and I can knitt while we talk and socialize. I can also knit in the living room while watching tv and Nate does not get mad.

All of this background to tell you I have NEVER hemmed a pair of pants. I always used the sewing machine. I made little kids clothes and they dont care about the "proper hem." Nate came home from work with the hem ripped out of one of his pants leg. So I got the needle and thread and took a shot at correctly hemming his pants. I DID IT! I did a decent job for my first hem and he was very grateful.

This one I made for my sister-in-law, Carrie.

This is the one I made for my Mother-In-Law, for the guest bedroom.

This is the one I made for my Mom. She loves Blue.

This is a baby blanket I made for a friend.

This one I made for my sister, Christie.

This is another baby blanket, for my friend Allyson.

This is by far my favorite and my hardest to make. It is one I am going to hang on a wall someday.

The pieces are from 1in. to 1/4 in. in size. This took some serious sewing to accomplish.

I have a pattern for do another one simular to this and can't wait to find the time and money to make it. Fabric is not cheap, in case you were wondering.

Finding lost toys

As most people who know my family, Joel loves his Nintendo DS and his games. About a year ago, Joel lost one of his cases with 3 games in it. We looked everywhere, church, school, Nana's house, Grandma's house. We called friends and family because none of us could figure where he could of lost it. So we just knew the games were gone.

Today almost a year later, Joel found these games. The case with 3 games was stuck in the side of the recliner. The recliner does not come apart and the case never fell out during the move and everything. Joel was just sitting in the chair and reached down the inside, side and found it. He is so excited.

Books! Books! and more Books!

I have read about 7-8 books since the first of June. I have read 3 of those this last week. My mom asked what I was reading to help her find some new books. So here are some suggestions......

Top 5 Authors of Christian Fiction
Robin Jones Gunn (she has teenage books, love stories and chick lit books.)
Dee Henderson (she wrote the best series ever about 6 adopted siblings and each book follows specific sibling, while keeping you informed about the rest of the family, The O'Malley Series)
Lori Wick (anything you pick up of hers you will love)
Mindy Starnes Clark ( she has a great mystery series as well as a fun chick lit series)
Susan May Warren (she has about 5 different series, from mystery, Russian systery, western, PI's and more)

Top Non Christian Author of Fiction
I only have two because I don't read a lot of non-Christian books.
James Patterson (he has a lot of great books....Start with his Women's Murder Club, then move to his Alex Cross series....which 2 of becamse movies.... Along came a spider and Kiss the girls)
Iris Johansen (I love her Eve Duncan series, about a forensic skull recreater who is helping others because her daughter was kidnapped and never found)

Top 10 random books to read (some I have read and some are on my shelf to read)
Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson
Predator by Terri Blackstock
Never Look Back by Kathy Herman
Wildflower Bride by Mary Connealy (there are 2 before this one in the series)
Breach of Trust by Diann Mills
Hannah Grace by Sharlene MacLaren
The 9th Judgement by James Patterson
Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson
Beverly Lewis (Amish series)
Only in Gooding Series by Cathy Marie Hake

I have planty more books and authors to recommend but these are just a few to keep me and you busy for the summer. Enjoy your reading list!