We are Outta Here!

We are ready to leave and I've checked everything off my list of to-do's (okay, almost everything).

Our bags are packed and the car is ready to be filled. Alarms will be set for o'dark thirty and bed times will be early tonight:)

While all this planning, packing, and prepping was going on, the kiddos made do with using their creativity to keep them entertained. This is a quick peek at our last week...

We took a trip to the zoo with Kyla's class. It didn't rain, Hurray!



Builder Gavin's creation


Kyla and her gal friends squeezed in a quick marshmallow roast in between drenching rain showers.


Did I mention they used their creativity? Yep, that's a drawer and No, his sister had nothing to do with this:)


She was all over this though:)


And I'll add this one just cause I love it!


We'll be back in a while...Off to heat, humidity, fun and family!

Last Minute Things

We are leaving on Wednesday morning and I've been busy finishing up all the last minute things I wanted to get done before we go. First up was some light and soft pajamas for Kyla. Summer is still hiding from us here in Oregon, but I know that it's in full effect where we are headed. Our winter pjs just won't cut it.

The first set was made from Simplicity 5118 with some serious alternations in regards to the length. She's a bit longer than the pattern was expecting:) I used a super soft knit that I found on clearance! Sweet new pjs for a couple of dollars, now that it frugal:)

Speaking of frugal...a couple of months ago I picked up a twin sheet set from Goodwill that the bottom sheet still had the tags on. The top sheet looks like it was used as a curtain and has some serious sun bleaching on one side. Not to worry though! I made myself a pair of comfy pants a while back and put the remnant of the fabric to use in making more bedtime wear for us gals.

I used Simplicity 3669 for the top and did a freehand pattern for the shorts. I added a little white ribbon tie and she's got one more pair of comfy pjs!

This is her thoughtful pose,
I thought I share it with you:)

There just happen to be enough fabric left for another pair of pj bottoms for me, this time shorts. Ahh, cozy and pretty. The combination can't be beat!


As I was packing, I realized that our summer wear was sadly lacking. We haven't really needed it what with the record making rain we've been having for the last month or so. I took a pair of Kyla's pants that she blew out the knees in this winter and chopped off the legs, hemmed, added a flower and waaalaaaa! New shorts!


I think we are now ready to go. I'm pretty sure, almost positive in fact...I think:)

Keepin' Em Out!

Deep down inside of me, I'm a farmer. It must be my familial roots that dig deep into the tradition of farming back in the mid-west. Indiana, to be specific. In the last couple of years, my desire to play in the dirt and grow things has come to the surface and I have researched, experimented, had some failures, but have successfully grown things! Yummy, healthy, pretty things:) This year, we added four more raised beds to our garden area bringing the total to eight 4' x 8' beds. I love it!

What I don't love is garden pests. We live in town so we don't deal with deer or other small wild animals. My nemesis, the scourge of my success are the neighborhood cats. Yes, I'm sure that they are cute and cuddly and are wonderful...but I get blood in my eye when I see their furry little bodies creeping around my garden. They dig up my seeds and young plants, they poop all over and now lately, I've had one cat vomiting in my beds! Enough is enough I shouted!!

So we purchased some of this...


To save these...


Used some of these...


To make this...


Ha! Take that you cute, furry, evil ones!

Haircut time!

It was time for a haircut for my girl this past weekend and we decided to make a special girls day out of it. We bought shoes, tried on clothes, went out to dinner and finished up the list of things to do/buy for our trip next week.

It was a bit more difficult to find a place to get her hair cut than I was prepared for, but in the end, we were successful. She had a grand time being pampered and spending uninterrupted time with Mama and she got a super cute haircut out of the deal:)

What a pretty gal I have!

Hungry Hippo

A while back I decided that I would make Gav a new backpack for our trip east this summer. During this decision making time, Kyla brought home a book from school titled "The Hippo Ate the Teacher." All of a sudden, I had to make a hippo backpack. More specifically, (Say this with a three year old speech impediment) a hippopotamus backpack. I'm too cheap to go and buy a pattern and I didn't take the time to find a tutorial online, nope, I just jumped right into the fray. My brain smoked with the effort and Chad and the kiddos are surely tired of my frustrated mumbling and vacant stares, but my sewing machine and I have created (more like birthed) a hippo backpack to be proud of:)

There were a couple of vital requirements as I mapped out my project; a water bottle holder, a drawstring closure, adjustable straps and of course, the ever important hippo.

The hippo was the real hurdle. I can't draw. It's not that I don't or that don't have time to, it's the fact that I truly have no skills in this area. I was unable to find a hippo stencil (are you really surprised?) and so I had to free hand this baby. In the end, he turned out to be a very hungry hippo with his head just a bit out of proportion to his body. Sound like anyone you know? Yes, I'm meaning my son:) He was such a hungry hippo that I had to give him some grass to eat for fear of being gnawed on:)

I must have gotten it somewhat close though. My hippo lover was able to take on look and exclaim his joy, a hippo backpack!

Everything used on this project/test of love is from my stash. The straps were made from a belt I purchased from the dollar store (wahooo!) and all the widgets/hardware were remnants from refashions. The fabric was new, a hand me down gift from my MNL. I won't say this was an easy project, but the end result is so much better than I expected half way through the trauma, I mean half way through the work. You can't get better payment for a job well done than a face cracking smile and jumps for joy.