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!

Celebrating the 4th

Last night the kids had a couple of friends over to watch movies for a couple of hours. There was kool-aid and popcorn, and watching of the Percy Jackson movie and the Pokemon movie(or one of many that Joel ownes, he told me he would have to pick out the best one fore movie night). They both made movie and drink tickets for their friends, which they "used" when they got to the "movie".

Nate, the kids and I went to the Huntington Beach Parade this morning. They say it is the biggest one west of the Mississippi. There were about half a million people at the parade today. It was a fun parade with horses, bands, dropped flags, and tons of waying american flags. The kids were bored after an hour, while we stayed for the duration of 2 hours.

Then we had lunch of sandwiches and hit the pool. 2.5 hrs at the pool, watching the kids swim, play volleyball, and dive. Now everyone is sitting around relaxing. We may go back out to watch the fireworks off the pier. The kids want to go but the adults are tired and want to stay home.

Happy Birthday to my Aunt Dawn and Happy Anniversary to my sister Dawn and her husband David.

Husbands as Best Friends

The movie "My Best Friends Wedding" came out in 1997, before I was married. I love Julia Roberts and was very upset at the end of the movie when the guy picks his bride over Julia Roberts (the best friend). As I sit here watching the movie 13 years later, I completely understand the choice he made. He was in love, and she was the best friend....They would always be great friends but their relationship would change as he was now married and needed to put his wife first.

I look at my marriage and am thankful to have married my best friend. Over the past 11 years, our marriage has become stronger as we lean on God first and each other second. Communication is key to making a marriage work. The husband and wife need to communicate with each other and not have secrets, lies or withhold info from each other.

I thank God every day for by husband and best friend.....Nate!

I got a Job!

The Lord answers our prayers in His time not ours. I applied for many jobs, sent out a ton of resumes, and went on quite a few interviews. Now God has opened the door to a great serving job at King's Fish House in Anahiem. The restaurant is about 6 blocks from Disney, 2 blocks from Anaheim Angels Stadium and the Honda Center (where the Ducks play hockey). So this is a very busy restaurant. I start on Monday July 12th, so I have a week to play with the kids, lay by the pool and read. I am looking forward to this "vacation" because I am not stressed about finding a job, going to interviews and feeling guilty for being at the pool.

This does not solve all our problems....we still have to live until Nate and I get through training and start making money. Pray that our finances hold out till then.