IT'S A ______!!!!!

So many fun things to look forward to when having a baby. Hearing the heart beat for the first time, feeling the little one move for the first time, deciding on a name, decorating a nursery...even the second time around, all these things are as fun and exciting as it was for the first baby.

One of my FAVORITE things to look forward to is the 18 week ultrasound - Due date is confirmed, you can see how your little bundle of joy is developing, and...(if you choose) you get to know if it is a boy or a girl. This day helps me to forget: all the sleepless nights I have already experienced, the many morning (days) of morning sickness,and the ever aching back. On this day, I can see that everything is worth it.

Now, this exciting day would have normally occurred with me and the hubby going to the doctor's office together. However, this time my hubby was out of town on business...so my sweet sister came with me instead. Although Lance couldn't be at the u/s, we decided that we would still find out together if our new little one was a baby boy or a baby girl. Yes, this meant I had to wait two extra days to find out.

On Saturday, we had a "gender reveal" party. We thought it would be fun if we found out with our family and close friends. We decorated with blue and pink...

I was pretty proud with the pink/blue cake I made

I

My sister made some fun "boy" and "girl" punch

We even had a little "voting" game...

Moustaches vs. Kisses

Then it was time for the "Big Reveal"...

We are excited to see what is inside the box 

Opening the box

We see PINK

It's a GIRL! 

Our happy little family 

While, yes, we were a little nervous about having a girl...we are VERY excited for our sweet little girl to get here. I am going to have to start thinking a little more "girlie"...I am sure she doesn't want to be dressed in flannels and boots like her big brother. :)

I looked around that day and saw God's many blessings...a loving husband, a sweet/funny son, a soon-to-be-here sweet daughter, wonderful friends, and a supportive family. This was such a fun/wonderful day!

First Visit to the Dentist...

We had a big day in the Williams' household this week. Lil' Man had his first visit to the dentist. I was more nervous than he was...of course, all he knew was what I told him "someone was going to brush his teeth".

I had a hard time sleeping the night before the appointment. I woke up with trepidation that morning. I just knew he was going to have a cavity and I was going to get a lecture for not taking care of his teeth well enough. I kept thinking...I brush his teeth twice a day, he didn't have juice until he was 2...surely everything will be fine.

The time finally arrived and we walked into the dentist's office. After getting signed and getting a tour of the place,  Lil' Man sat in "the chair" and his first visit officially began.

He was ready...



He got to wear sunglasses and watch a movie





He didn't mind his teeth being cleaned at all





Time for x-rays



And digital pictures



Then he got to play a little while we waited for the dentist to do the final look-through.



Final report...Lil Man's teeth are in GREAT condition. He was very happy with them. No cavities! He received all A's on his dental report card! (which meant Mommy received all A's too!)

We both left very happy and excited for our next visit in April.


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Quiero Estar Contigo Para Siempre

I remember thinking this when I was looking into his eyes on that special day.
Quiero estar contigo para siempre - I want to be with you forever.




It has been four years since that October afternoon. Our lives have changed so much since that day. We have seen good times and we have seen some rough times. Through it all, our love has stayed alive and grown stronger. We have learned to hold on to each other when times are hard and hold on to each other when life couldn't be better. Most people will choose a person to walk alongside with them in life...Lance, I am so glad I said "yes" 4 years ago.

Yesterday we celebrated our 4 year anniversary. We celebrated our way. We went out to our favorite sushi place "Nhinja" and enjoyed every bite. After our lunch date we decided to go see a movie. Finding Nemo in 3D. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, we had a little 2 year old tagging along. I sat back and looked at my two smiling boys as we were sitting in the theater. I was thinking about how blessed I was to be celebrating not only four years of marriage, but celebrating four years of us. "Us" has now expanded to a two year old and another one on the way.

Lance, I love you. 4 years of marriage and almost 7 years of being together. I loved you then, I love you now, and I look forward to loving you into forever. You have made me smile, you have made me love like I didn't know I could, you have wiped my tears, you have made me laugh until it hurt, you have made me mad, you have caused me to say things I shouldn't..."just eat your **** macaroni and cheese" :) and....you have always loved me in return, unconditionally. Thank you. I am looking forward to spending forever with you.


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Chicken...It's What's For Dinner

I contemplated what I was going to do as I stared into a five gallon bucket that is almost half full of banana peppers and bell peppers with a handful of cherry tomatoes thrown in the mix. My husband used quite a few this morning with our breakfast, but we still have so much left.

I was surprised that our garden was still producing anything at all...I am really surprised that it is producing so much!

Back to my dilemma. I decided I was going to throw together a chicken recipe and use the rest of the tomatoes and quite a few of the peppers. The rest of the fresh produce I will freeze.

For the chicken -

* I simply placed 4 chicken breasts in a baking dish with some salt and pepper added.

* I then threw in the cherry tomatoes (whole) and chopped banana peppers.

* I added about a 1/2 cup of chicken broth and placed in the oven (400 degrees) for 40 minutes. (covered)




* I took out the chicken and added 6 slices of provolone cheese. Then, back into the oven it went for an additional 10 minutes. (uncovered)

* After 10 minutes...done.





To go with this yummy dish, I also made a side of rice. I used a cup and a half of chicken broth and 1/2 cup of water to make my one cup of rice.

Together, chicken dish and rice....YUM.




Now...to freeze the remainder of the peppers.





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Not Quite A Hero

I found this blog entry in my "local draft" folder...I wrote it last month. I guess it isn't too late to post???


There are a lot of things I learned while living out in the country for almost 7 years. Among the things I learned - the best way to catch a chicken is by first grabbing its tail feathers, don't stand directly behind a horse while braiding its tail, turkey hunting does not take skill ( I chased them while shooting, and missing, for over 20 minutes. They just ran ahead of me the whole time), when feeding a baby calf from a bottle, don't hold the bottom of the bottle against your stomach, and when frog hunting (gigging) don't step on the basket of frogs you have already caught...it will cause much undo stress and fear. These are just SOME of the things I learned.

One other thing I learned, is when you are picking up any item that has been sitting outside for some time you always pick it up toward you. Why? Well, if there happens to be a sneaky little snake under that item and you pick up the item toward you then that snake will go away from you. What I mean by toward you is...the item is literally being pulled to you...the opening is away from you (on the opposite side)

So, as I was outside setting up my sprinklers today and checking on my practically dead garden I heard this cute little chirp. I kept walking thinking Oh, there must be a cute baby bird in a nest somewhere around here. Then it slowly dawned on me, there is no place around here that a bird would want to have a nest. We have no trees. My next natural thought...There is a baby bird that had been trying to fly and is in now in trouble.

I had it all figured out in my head. A baby bird learning to fly must have had some problems and fell into my garden and is now hurt. I was ready to step into action. I thought of my great grandmother, Mama Linda. She was always rescuing a hurt bird. Her house was full of bird cages. Some with birds she paid for, some with wild birds she was nursing to health. As a little girl I remember helping her "nurse" some of these birds back to health. So, with my background in helping little birds, I went searching for this bird in need of my help.

I stopped and listened for the helpless little chirp until I could pinpoint where the sound was coming from. I finally saw a little mouth and when I did see it, I heard the cry for help. It was stuck under one half of our rain barrel. I quickly picked up the rain barrel (pulling it toward me). When I did the "bird" quickly hopped away. It was a little toad. A teeny tiny toad. Why was it "crying"??? Oh, a snake was planning on eating it. Yes, there was also a snake under that barrel. Thank goodness for learning a long time ago how to pick something up. That snake quickly slithered off away from me. So, while yes, I am a bit embarrassed that I thought a little toad was a baby bird, I am glad I did not have a hungry snake slither my way.

I have to admit I was kind of looking forward to taking care of that little bird. I was all ready to soak some bread in some milk and feed it to the poor hungry bird. I had already figured out where I could make a warm safe spot for it to snuggle into. I guess it was not my day to be a hero. Well...I guess I did save a little toad from being a snake's dinner.

Instead, of saving this little guy:




I saved this little guy:






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Tonight...

Tonight is the night. We have been waiting since February for this night to come. This is one of my favorite nights of the year.

Every year, I start this night out by making chili/Frito chili pie. Usually, I settle in for the evening with my bowl of chili and Lil' Man in his high chair by my side. Lance, unfortunately, has to work and does not get to be here to celebrate this night with us.

Tonight is different. Thanks to a great new schedule, my hubby gets to settle in on the couch with Lil' Man and I and enjoy a bowl of chili and watch the opening night of NFL football!

We are ready. Chili is made. Bowls are served. We are enjoying a little time together as we wait for 7:30 to arrive. It is football time, people. This household is EXCITED.




Another reason we are so excited about football season starting, is because of fantasy football. Yes. We love fantasy football. I have been a part of this fantasy football league since 2008 and I have loved every year of it! Thanks to Lance, Arick, and Anthony for letting me in on their league way back when!

7:27...time to go. Time for some football!!! GO COWBOYS!!!!!



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"That" Kind of Tired...

Well, it has been awhile since I have posted anything on here. I would love to say it is "because I am so busy with work I just haven't had the time to blog", but that would not be the truth in its entirety. While yes, I have been busy with the start of school and a new position at work, my main cause of defeat when it comes to my writing is that I have been so very tired...yes, too tired to blog.

Like I said, work has kept me busy...but it has not been the sole cause of this mind and body draining fatigue I have been experiencing. This type of weariness can only be caused by one thing. You know what I am referring to...I am "that" kind of tired.

We shared the news with  Lil' Man by giving him this shirt...he was shocked (at first).

He quickly recovered and was very excited!

Just in case you can't read what the shirt says

ONLY CHILD

EXPIRES APRIL 2013

So, here we are....our happy little family of three will soon become a happy little family of four. We are very excited for this new little blessing to join our lives. Lil Man cannot decide if he wants a brother or a sister. He changes his mind daily. All I know, this little one is going to be loved so much by his/her older brother.

So, yes, while I have been too tired to do much these days...it is most definitely a good kind of tired that is WORTH EVERY MOMENT OF EXHAUSTION.

To My WOE Family...

I'll never forget the anxiety I felt as a student teacher. There I was, a senior in college completing my final student teaching assignment. After this, graduation. I was so close to experiencing true "adulthood". However, I felt as far away from that moment in life than I ever had in my whole college career. I would be going into someone's classroom and not only learn from them, but also have to show what I have learned and teach to kids I did not know in front of someone I did not know. It is a terrifying experience, especially for a shy perfectionist such as myself.

God blessed me abundantly. I quickly got to know my teacher (master teacher, really) and she put my anxiety aside. I soaked in everything I could from her and the team I was working with. I blossomed in those 7 weeks as a teacher, professional, and as a person. I fell in love with the school, with the kids, with the faculty. It felt like home. Thank you Vickie Stearman, Aretas Brookings, Lisa Bumpus, Larry Ellis, and Kathy Hamilton for being a part of my early experiences at Western Oaks and putting up with me as a student teacher in 2nd Grade.

The blessings continued. Although I was preparing to interview at another school that afternoon, I was pulled in to a quick impromptu interview at the end of the school day at Western Oaks. All through college I had said, "I will never NEVER teach 1st grade. I do not want that responsibility of teaching a child to READ, I can't do it." God has a sense of humor. Mr. Eichelberger offered me a 1st grade position. I was very unsure at first, this was the grade I had sworn away from. However, I so loved this school and I knew this is where God wanted me to be. I said, "Yes".

I started my first year in 1st grade in August of 2005. There were so many up and down moments. The definite ups - I was working right across the hall from one of my best friends, Amber, I made lots of new friends, I had GREAT mentors (Ann and Vickie), I built relationships with my students and my student's families, I was not just part of a work place...I was part of a family.

I continued to teach in 1st grade, in the same classroom for the 7 years. This summer, I interviewed for and accepted a position as a Literacy Coach...at two other schools. While I am beyond thrilled and excited about this, it breaks my heart to leave my WOE family.

I turned my key in yesterday. The same key I used for 7 years. The same key that let me into a classroom where I transformed from a young and timid teacher to a confident and (somewhat older...) teacher. I learned about heartache in this room, the power of a smile, the importance of unconditional love, the irreplaceable feeling when you see a child learn, and I learned how much I loved 1st grade.

As I walked out of my room for the last time, millions of memories were going through my mind...among those memories is when I remembered where I was standing when my husband proposed to me (along with the rest of my class). It is just a room, but it is a room I will never forget.

I had so many teachers (and a principal) I looked up to that helped me along the way. I can't think of one person in that building I will not miss. Each person has a memory that I will hold on to. So many moments of laughter, shared tears, moments of support, shared victories....I could go on and on.

Western Oaks Family, you all mean so much to me and I thank you so much for all you have done for me and my family these last 7 years. Even though I move on now to some place new, you all will always be on my heart and mind.

I am so glad I was there to be a part of WOE's 50th! What an awesome celebration that was.




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All Day Domestics...

Well, I guess I should say all day being domestic. Quite the domestic feat happened today. Laundry soap was made, dish detergent was made, AND I made Lil' Man a pair of pajama pants.
The best part about this day, all my accomplishments set aside, was getting to do this with my mom and my sister. We had a blast. I'm sure my poor mom is heading back home right now with a slight headache caused from my sister and I. :)
Mom helped Megan sew some curtains for her classroom. She also helped my sister and I sew pajama pants for our little guys and, might I add, they are matching pajamas. Yeah, very cute.




After our sewing, we gathered all of our ingredients to make our dish and laundry detergent. Meg and I both now have two containers of good homemade detergents. Dishwasher detergent on the left (white) and laundry soap on the right (pink).
Recipe for dishwasher detergent:
Dishwasher detergent




In between our projects for today, we all (my dad, mom, sister, nephew, brother-in-law, husband, son and I) went and ate at 5 Guys Burgers...mmm. Except that the jalapeños were a tad too spicy for me. I had to ditch them...fast.
I am so glad my dad and mom decided to come up and visit. It was fun to see them and I am thrilled with what we accomplished today. Of course, Lil Man and M loved spending time with their Papi and Abuelita (tita, as Lil Man says).
Now, I am settled in watching some gymnastics and swimming going on at the Olympics. GREAT weekend.
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Let The Games Begin

Oh, the Olympics. I love to watch the Olympic games. I love everything about them. I love the competition, I love to cheer for my country, I love the memories of watching them as a little girl, I love seeing the passion of the competitors, I love hearing some of their life stories...I am thrilled that I am getting to watch them, right now, with my little boy. (can I say "Mr. Bean" and "Chariots of Fire" was one of my favorite parts of the opening ceremony)

My favorite part of the opening ceremony is watching all the competitors come in with their country's flag (Parade of Nations). It always gives me goosebumps. How awesome to get to represent your country in such a manner.

The summer Olympics are, by far, my favorite. Don't get me wrong, I love to watch the figure skating, skiing, and what not. BUT....the summer Olympics are where it is at for me. Among my favorites to watch - swimming, track & field, and gymnastics.

Growing up, my sister and I used to look forward, every four years, to these Olympics. We used to pretend we were one of the American gymnasts or a gold medal wielding swimmer. We also would pick out the men we would cheer for. Naturally, the men on team USA were our first choice for the gold medal, but we thought it wouldn't hurt to cheer for who we wanted as our silver medal finalist. These men, of course, would be good-looking and muscular. We also would pick out our future husbands while watching the Olympics. For this, we usually picked from the gymnastics group of men...however, we did venture into the men's swimming group a time or two.

There is one guy who stole my 13 year old heart, back in 1996. Is it odd (creepy) that I still remember him?

Alexei Nemov. Yes, he was Russian.




But, look at him!!!!




Every time the summer Olympics were over, I would pick what sport I would compete in. I always chose swimming. I would go and practice my swimming in the pool everyday. Whether it be the butterfly stroke, the backstroke, or synchronized swimming, I practiced every day....for about a week or two.
So, now that you know what an Olympic nerd (or just nerd) I am....I hope you enjoy these 2012 summer Olympics as much as I will.


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On The Hunt

Yay! L was off today. We got up this morning and started working outside. Our yard was in MAJOR need of maintenance. Let me tell you. L changed the blade on the lawn mower (no, dad, it wasn't my fault this time) and I set off on mowing the yard. All I know, with almost 2 acres...thank goodness for my John Deere riding mower!
L pushed mowed the tight areas. Lil' Man helped. Yet another great thing about being on the riding mower...I can push the brake and stop to take a pic if I am so inclined. I'm sure that you can see Lil' Man got stuck mowing the grassiest area of all.




After I finished mowing, I went inside to make a grass/weed killing concoction I found on Pinterest. Going inside was nice. The relief from the oncoming heat was welcome. I saw myself in the mirror...yuck. I looked like I had been air brushed...but with red dirt. Anyway...the concoction. You can find it here -
Natural Grass/Weed Killer

After more outside work...we decided it was time to go inside and get cleaned up. We needed to go to town and get some measurements for a loft bed Lance is going to build. Don't worry, I'll keep you posted on that!

We then "treated" ourselves to one of our FAVORITE Chinese restaurants. Tai Pei. Now I say "treated" in quotations because going there will definitely not break the bank. It is a little hole in the wall that most people may be appalled by, but not us. We love it. Where else can we get two platters, two egg rolls, two cups of egg drop soup, 3 drinks, and an order of crab rangoon for only $16.50? Seriously, where can you get that?

We spent the rest of the day hitting up thrift stores, Goodwills, Salvation Armies, and what have you. I am on the hunt for a sewing table/desk. We are going to try and make a cute little sewing space in our living room. We will see. We had no luck finding anything today. Well, I will retract that. The first place we went had THE PERFECT DESK. We were both very disheartened to find the "sold" sticker on it upon further inspection.

After a long day of searching with nothing to show for it...we hit up Sonic. We all tried one of their new "island slushies"...have to admit, they were pretty good. We all enjoyed the fresh coolness of the islands in our drink. Well, we all did until Lil' Man poked a hole in his cup and all that "island goodness" was dripping all over my van. He was mad. I was having an anxiety attack. Lance continued driving.

Naturally, we had to pull over and clean what we could. I had, at one point, rolled down my window to let the drink spill outside. Great idea! Only, now the side of my van was sticky and messy. On to the car wash we went.
Someone is not a fan of car washes. In fact, here is a reaction from the automatic car wash entrance...we were just paying at this point. Not even near the actual "car wash zone"....but he knew what was coming.

Yes, I had to hold his hand.




If l let go of his hand....




So, I held his hand.




In case you forgot...
Without holding his hand...




Holding his hand...




It kind of reminded me of the scene in the movie Pure Luck (with Martin Short and Danny Glover) where they are at the jungle hospital and they keep showing the poor patient the picture of the girl. If you haven't seen the movie...go rent it. You won't be sorry you did. So FUNNY.

Well, I have an early day ahead of me tomorrow. I have to get myself out of bed, ready, and out the door by 7:00 a.m. :/ Y'all know...I am NOT a morning person!
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What's Going On...

Well, my summer life has slowly shifted back to normal again. I have spent the last couple of days accomplishing some things, yet remembering to also take it easy...since summer is almost over.
Some of the things I have accomplished:
* I stocked up on shampoo and conditioner for the next year/year and a half. Beauty Brands is having their annual liter sale...Woo-Hoo! Thanks, Amber for introducing me to this awesome sale. Since we both had the same strategy of picking out shampoos and conditioners...I bet we bought some of the same ones.




Did we?

* I also was able to go to my old classroom and my new-but-now-won't-be-using classroom and packed up some of my stuff. It was so sad to be taking my stuff out of Western Oaks Elementary (WOE). This is a school where I started out as a student teacher and moved onto being a 1st grade teacher for 7 years. It will always be home. The people that work there will never be just "coworkers"; they will always be considered as great friends...my WOE family. I will have to address more about this in a later post. I'm getting teary-eyed and it is hard to see my screen.
* I attended my sewing class last night. My pajama pants are starting to actually look like pants. I have to say, I am impressed. I am going to miss my weekly sewing class...only two more sessions left.
* Today, I started back on my digital scrapbooking. I successfully made it through April and May...of 2011. (Here is where I probably shouldn't mention that I only have a month done of 2010...Lil Man's first year of life.)
Yeah...I'm a wee behind
* I made a pretty good dinner tonight. Tequila Lime Chicken, tostadas, and guacamole....plus a banana, chocolate chip, chocolate cake.
* Ohh yeah...did more research/ refreshed my memory on CCSS ( Common Core State Standards) as I prepare for a training on Thursday morning.
Some of the things I did to relax:
* Read a little of my book
* Watched a little Law and Order SVU.
Is it embarrassing to admit I looked up information on getting a criminal justice degree and requirements for being a detective? Is it even more humiliating to admit that I have done this every summer for the past 3 years when I watch my SVU marathons on USA?
* Perused through Facebook for awhile
* Did a little FaceTime with my mom. Actually, Lil' Man FaceTimed her...I heard her voice and looked over to see Lil' Man talking to her. How he knows to do that...I really couldn't tell you.
* Spent some time hanging out/gossiping with my sister (This is where I know my mom is shaking her head at us. I will get a phone call/lecture tomorrow).
* Enjoyed playing with my little nephew...loved seeing him being able to start crawling!
* Played with Lil' Man. We built some pretty cool things with his Mega Blocks...I decided I need to get him some Lincoln Logs, possibly for Christmas. I also CANNOT wait for him to play with Legos. Those were my favorite to play with growing up.
All in all...a pretty good couple of days. My one complaint...this HEAT. So, until the next post. (which be expecting one about the Olympics...soooo excited)
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Vacation: Day 9 - End Of The Road

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Vacation: Day 8 - Takin' It Easy

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Vacation: Day 7 - Homeward Bound...Kind Of

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Vacation: Day 6 - Splish, Splash

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Vacation: Day 5 - You Snooze You...WIN

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Vacation: Day 4 - "Downtown, Everything's Waiting For You Downtown"

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Location:Denver, CO

Vacation: Day 3 - "Death Becomes Her"

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Vacation: Day 2 - Adventure

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Location:Winter Park, CO/Grand Lake, CO

Vacation: Day 1 - Let's Go!

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A Stitch In Time

July 10th...cool and stormy. Yes, it is July 10th and it is COOL in Oklahoma. A strong storm moved in and it dropped the temperature GREATLY. I love a good summer storm. The sound of the thunder and rain are so relaxing. When the weather is like this, my favorite thing to do is snuggle up with a good book. I am currently reading a pretty good little murder mystery - Dying to Kill.  I was about to continue to my next chapter, but then I decided to finish up a little project I started yesterday. This fun little project would be making a pillow for my sweet little 2 year old. Yes, it is a sewing project. Now that you have recovered from  the shock of hearing the words "sewing project" coming from me, sit back and I will tell you how that came to be.

Sewing, the only thing I knew how to do with sewing was thread a needle by hand and hand-stitch up a loose strap in a dress or fix a loose button (I did not do either of these well). So, you can imagine my trepidation about enrolling in a sewing class. My friend, Angela, called me and wanted to know if I was interested in doing this sewing class with her...despite my better judgement, I did it. I enrolled in a sewing class.

First day of class: We did a lot of listening...a LOT. I quickly began drawing parallels from my experience sitting there in my sewing class to a school classroom setting where I was the teacher. I think it is important for all teachers to experience this. I sat and listened to her talk about a "bobbin" for 10 minutes. I tried to listen and understand what was being said...one major problem, I had NO IDEA what a bobbin was. I was lost and so not engaged.

Now listen to this...she stopped talking and showed me what a "bobbin" was and then I was handling it and working with it. I finally started to learn something. My tier 3 word quickly became her tier 1 word. I was able to understand what she was saying about making it look like a "p" to place it in the sewing machine. Why was it all making sense? Why was I learning? I was playing a part in my learning AND she was facilitating my learning experience. I was delighted that I actually learned something. From there...I made great strides in my sewing learning experience. (Okay...I am done with my spiel) :)

**I do have to mention...on my first day I DID get to sew something...finally...albeit it was just following a line on a piece of paper, I still felt accomplished.**

NOW...let me show you what I have been able to accomplish after 4 classes.

First Project: Cosmetic Bag

 

                                          

           Bottom of bag. Note the corners...COOL, huh?!?

Please notice...A ZIPPER! Yes, I did that too!

Second Project: A Tote Bag

Yes...I even lined it.

You can barely tell, but there is a front pocket.

Third Project: Pajama Pants

Pics soon to come...learning how to cut out the pattern this week.

My Solo Projects

I have absolutely enjoyed sewing. I am sooo glad Angela asked me to do this class with her. I have enjoyed sewing so much and am feeling (slightly) empowered...so I decided to attempt some projects on my own..outside of class. I was a bit nervous at first...mainly, because in class if I have a question or a problem I quickly have one of my instructors there to run to my aid.

First Solo Project:

I started out at Wal-Mart (material was on sale) and then moved on to Hobby Lobby (love the weekly 40% off coupon).

My materials included:

* 3 yards of 100% cotton fabric

* Pinking shears

* Matching thread (all-purpose)

* Poly-fill stuffing

* Fabric Paint

* Sponge

* Stencil

* 2 yards of Fusible interface (heavyweight)

* Magnet sewing guide

What I did (this is just so you can see how my projects came to be, not sure if it is the "correct" way, but it got me there):

* Cut out (8) 18x18 squares from the fabric with pinking shears 

* Matched "right (front) sides" together 

* Pinned the edges of the material together

* Began sewing ( I sewed 1/2 inch seams all the way around)

* I left 3-4 inches of space unstitched (on one side only)

* I ironed one side of the material with interface (I cut 4 16x16 pieces of interface. I only put interface on one side of my material.)

* I reached in that 3-4 inch hole I left and pulled the fabric right side out

* My hubby placed the stencil in the center of the material (with interface backing) and sponge-painted the stencil onto the material

* After it dried...I stuffed the poly-fill into the 3-4 inch hole.

* I then hand-stitched the 3-4 inch opening. (pin the area closed and the hand-stitch it)

* And then....I had my own decorative pillows for my couch!

    

Second Solo Project:

I basically did the same thing as above, except that I cut out two 25x19 pieces of fabric instead of 18x18.

This time I left out the interface and stenciling. 

Front of pillow 

Back of pillow

I think he likes it!

Excuse the bed head :)

I know my projects aren't perfect...but for a first-timer...I am WAY excited about how they turned out. I am loving the "sewing experience"!