Fashion

I saw this cute picture, on THIS cute blog, and found THIS fun flickr group for Simplicity pattern 3835, and it got me thinking about dusting off my high school graduation present, my sewing machine. Maybe it's just because I probably can't possibly sew with a broken wrist, but those shirts look really cute, and easy enough for me even, maybe.

I've never seen a storm like this before

Not here in real life anyways. We had hours of this non-stop thunder and lighting all around us. It got loud and windy and rainy but it was really exciting to watch! The video doesn't do it justice of course but you'll get the general idea.

Fancy

So I went and broke my wrist this weekend. Luckily when I went to the Dr. today they gave me the option of a pink, glittery cast- yeah! I told them I had 3 girls who would think it's really cool. (not to mention it makes me happy too)I had to take a picture of me holding Charlie before I got the cast- they gave me this nasty splint at Urgent Care and I couldn't do anything with my hand. Miss G suggested the Baby Bjorn to hold Charlie and I was very grateful- it has helped a lot.

Here's the scene of the "accident." Sam is the irrigation pro for our little circle but he was at a church Daddy Daughter activity Saturday and needed me to pull that triangle thing out of the ditch- it was standing up blocking the water, and the ditch was full. I have done it before and it wasn't a big deal, but this time I stood with my feet on either side of the ditch walls and my hands on the handles of the metal thing and pulled up, but there was a lot of water on the other side, and the weight of the water pushing it somehow made me lose my balance or something and I fell backwards, into the ditch, and must have tried to stop myself with my hand. It happened fast and all I could think of was I had to get up as the nasty, disgusting water washed up over me and pushed me down the ditch. My arm hurt like crazy and I was pretty sure I had broken my wrist immediately- I couldn't get out for a mintue because my left arm was useless, and I couldn't get up on my feet. One of my flip flops washed away and the second worse part of the ordeal was walking through an irrigation soaked horse pasture- with pokies- without my shoes! My wrist hurt so bad and it was so disgusting to be covered in irrigation water! I came in and took the best shower I could with one hand, called my mom to come help me get dressed and take care of Charlie while I went to urgent care. Anyways, the Dr. said I could be good in as little as 4 weeks so that's good news! I can't believe how much I use my left hand for. I'm very thankful I didn't hit my head and drown, or get sliced up by that big metal thing, or break my right wrist, but it is hard to schlep my 18lb baby around with only one arm. (yes, 4 months old and he weighs 18lbs, 4oz!!!) Oh and I can't do my hair- that stinks too. And I look lovely with my elbows all scraped up and a huge bump/bruise on my leg from that metal thing I think.

My Turn

I've been hesitant to post about this because I don't know the Nielsons personally but my life has been touched by reading NieNie's blog so I feel the need to say something on mine. If you haven't already heard, Stephanie and her husband were critically injured in a private plane crash last weekend and are in the burn unit fighting for their lives. They are parents to 4 beautiful children and they need our help. To be inspired and get to know her, read her blog HERE. Hers was one of the first blogs I ever read and she is one of the mothers who have truly inspired me to work harder to change some of my attitudes towards motherhood and homemaking. Through her short sweet blog entries I realized that in her blog she exemplified the type of mother I wanted to be, and that the direction towards becoming that kind of mother, was to change my attitude. (I need that reminder on a regular basis) One day I spent a couple hours reading the archives back to the very beginning- one of the stories I best remember is of one of her girls camp experiences, when she was a teenager with very short boy hair. It is hearbreaking and funny- I knew I liked her by the time I read it. Click HERE for the whole story. She's a bit of a celebrity in my blog world- it seems like everyone I know reads her blog, and a lot of people I know in real life actually know her in real life and I believe them when they say she is really the person we know from her blog. I've only met her once, I ran into her at a Target and probably freaked her out a little when I introduced myself as a "fan!" Anyways, it's weird how I can feel like I know and love someone who I really only know through this miracle of the internet, but if you are reading this you probably know how I feel! They need lots of prayers and if you can donate any money they will certainly need that as well. Nie doesn't have a counter on her blog but I would be willing to bet there are hundreds, if not a thousand or more people who read her somewhat regularly, and what a difference it would make if all of us could donate even $5! I put the button with a PayPal link on the right hand side of my blog if you feel so inclined.

Last Week...

She loves to pose as much as her big sister! She was so excited to finally go to school! Her only disappointments were that she doesn't get to ride the bus, and she doesn't get to stay all day! We were pretty rushed on her first day and I didn't notice the purple socks she'd selected until she got home and unfortunately they didn't get in any pictures. On the 3rd day we got there a few minutes early and she wanted to go play and I realized how little she is when I saw her walk out onto that big playground with all those big kids... sniff, sniff...

When you're 3...

It's hard to hold up 3 fingers- it's also hard to remember that you're 3 and not 5. But she can count to 20 perfectly. She wanted a "princess cake" and I got this idea from Family Fun Magazine. It took a lot of time to make because I had to cut out each of those crown pieces in sugar cookie dough with a template, and while I was trying to make it, surrounded by my messy kitchen (messy house actually) I was questioning whether it was a good use of my time, but in the end it turned out pretty cute, and she LOVED it. When I asked her what her favorite part of her birthday was she answered "Ummm, the cake, and the cake, and the cupcakes, oh, and swimming."

Birthday card

I finished this card last night for my MIL's birthday and was too late for the sketch challenge I started it for but oh well- I was a little rushed so I didn't have time to obsess about it but it turned out fine I think. I actually dreamed another way to do it last night so I may try another one later. We are celebrating Miss E's 3rd birthday today so my house is a wreck getting things ready yesterday and today! Hopefully I'll have a couple pictures posted later.

Scrap a doll house

This was in my Creating Keepsakes e-newsletter and I think it's so cute! What a great idea, I don't know that I have patience for a project like that, but maybe one of you do? I love it, though I might not want my kids to touch it by the time I was done! Click HERE to go to the website for instructions.

It's that time of year

I've been dreaming of the day all summer long! Miss B started school this week, and her sisters are following shortly! I think she's been looking forward to it almost as much as I have- it's been a loooong summer. Here are the results from the first day of school photo shoot:

I used Glitz Designs Hot Mama papers from the season 2 CD, and the vintage frames from Katie Pertiet at Designer Digitals, and some other random elements I had. FUN- although I might be questioning my decision to stay up so late tomorrow...

How could he not be my favorite right now?

And I love all of my kids equally really, but he is the absolute definition of "bundle of joy" right now. A total ball of happiness- he fusses when he's hungry, wet or tired, and that's about it. He looks at me like I'm the most wonderful thing in the entire world, and every time I pick him up you'd think I just saved his life by the way he smiles and snuggles. He sleeps all night, lets his sisters shove toys in his face (to an extent) and doesn't ever talk back to me! I had to document the little "rubberband wrists" and then I couldn't leave out the chubby feet and tummy too!
If you like these digital scrapbook pages, you can download them free from the Live Out Loud Scraps blog HERE. I feel like it's cheating a little bit to use pre-made pages, but these were so cute! Thanks to "dodo" whoever that is for making them to share.