Sharing

I want to share this fantastic blog post by Lizzy that I read this evening. LizzyHouse on choosing happiness. I've been working on being happy this year despite all the bad things and while it has been an uneven road I feel successful so far. Thanks Lizzy for saying what I feel.

In other news, spouse is gone again. The girls are doing well though. They have a new family member to keep them busy.

His name is Ranger. He's a Jack Russell mix that we adopted from the Fairfax County Shelter. Great people at that place! They loaded us down with treats and toys and the adoption process was far easier than the other places we tried.

No new pictures of the house though it's coming along. I promise soon!

Somniate

Yep I'm dreaming of how great my space is going to be once it's all finished. So here is the current state of play. Some of it probably looks worse than last time but I am getting there.

(And if anyone wants to give me a tutorial on making this blog look better I'd love to hear it!)

These are the latest bookcases picked up yesterday from the "As-Is" section of Ikea.

And here is the table I made from a piece of counter-top picked up ages ago in the Ikea "As-Is" section.

Status Report

On Tuesday after the movers left my bedroom and sewing room looked like this...

After shuffling some boxes around, a trip to Ikea, and 2 hours of work later one wall looked like this...

And today it all looks like this...

So while it's not anywhere close to finished I do feel like I am making progress. I've taken the Process Pledge which means I need to fess up to all the messy bits that come in between start and completion. I hope to be sewing by next weekend.

Spado

Before we returned to the States in 2011 I promised the kids we could get a dog. We talked together about the importance of rescuing a pet from the shelter along with the usual responsibilities of pet ownership. Now though I'm running into major problems. At first I thought these complications were restricted to breed specific rescue centers, but I've since learned that they apply to the SPCA in our area as well.

*Money: These shelters ask up to $350 for the adoption fee. I know that pets are not cheap but I also know what a dog costs from a breeder.

*Home Visits: I don't like anyone I don't know coming to my home. I have the right to privacy and the right to safety. It is difficult enough letting the cable guy in once to install the internet much less know that anyone from the organization may stop by at any time to check up on the dog.

*Applications: Some of the applications I've seen are seven or more pages long. One of the questions we fail on is: How long have you lived in your current home?

I've had pets my entire life and grew up around animals of all sorts. I know these groups have their heart in the right place but are they really helping animals by making the adoption process so rigid? Would love to hear some thoughts and feedback regarding this.

Starting Over

Tomorrow the household goods arrive at our new home here in Northern Virginia. I'm very happy with my choice of area so far. Everything I need seems to be within 10 minutes and DC is just a quick Metro ride away, but where not close enough to have terrible traffic. I can't wait to dive into my patterns and fabric and decide what to do first.

I bought two of these little journals (one in each color) for me to write in for the girls. I am enjoying them. Two days in only but I'm surprised by how easy it is to fill up the space. Mom's One Line a Day: A Five-Year Memory Book

In somewhat frustrating news I purchased a new phone today. When I went to transfer the telephone number and contract I wasn't able to. Turns out the zip code I originally had my account in doesn't have smartphone service and in order to use my new phone I had to change my zip code. In order to change the zip code I had to get a new phone number. Blerg. To top it off the customer service rep promised I'd be able to use the old phone until the new one was activated. Didn't happen so now I have no usable phone. I'm sure I'll be happy once the new phone is going but for now it stinks.

Holiday 2011

It's Christmas now and I can't sleep, not because I'll get lots of great things in the morning but because I want my children to be happy more than anything on Christmas Day. Yesterday my aunt Alice and her husband Tom came to visit from Pensacola.

They brought Izzy a beautiful baby doll cradle that Tom handmade and a volley ball and net for D. I'm not sure who was most excited but Izzy rocked various things: teddy bear, balls, sweater, jacket off and on all day. We ate ham and potato salad, cream style corn, green beans, and rolls for lunch. Sweet tea was perfect. I'll update late in the day when my brain is actually working with photos and more on Christmas day.

We actually made the gingerbread houses a few days earlier, but we did get them done despite the Florida humidity.

Christmas morning, presents from Santa.

Great-Grandmother Annie B. with three great girls.

The day after Christmas we ate another Christmas meal with Aunt Sherry and Uncle David. It was so delicious! Smoked turkey breast, broccoli cornbread, hashbrown casserole, green beans, mac and cheese.

Honoring my craft.

I posted this on my sewing forum in response to sewing goals for 2012.

For me I just don't want to get bogged down/depressed that we are moving now and moving again early 2013. I want to unpack and decorate this home as if we will live there for years and years. In accordance with that...

1. Deck out the playroom: drapes, toy bags, bean bag covers, slipcovers, whatever. This is a long term project and things can be done over time.

2. Deck out the girls' room: bed canopies, quilt for Izzy, pillowcases. I'd like this complete by April.

3. Organize stash: Get a good storage system for apparel fabric (Leaning toward something like this) and ribbon, finish getting my wovens onto the CBB and onto shelves. Create look book with patterns that I want to make and fabric samples. Buy as little as possible both patterns and fabric.

4. Make placemats, napkins, and table runners. And use them! (Ongoing project)

5. Deck out girls' bathroom: shower curtain, hand towels, embroidery large towels. (Ongoing project)

6. Make as many clothing items as possible for me and Izzy instead of buying. This includes customizing an underwear pattern for myself and finally trying pants. (Ongoing project)