Recycling jeans

L had a couple of pair of jeans that still fit around the waist, but after being worn by at least two little girls, were completely shot in the knees, and way too short for her, besides. She saw some longer denim shorts at the store that she liked and so I made some for her out of the jeans. She has decided she doesn't like and won't wear them (grrrr...). That's a whole other story for another time.

This story is about what we came up with for the bottoms of the pants.They were on the floor and the girls started playing around with them on their dolls and considering skirts, but came up with a dress concept.Here is how one turned out. I didn't take a picture of the other, but it has pink ribbon straps, and I used a decorative machine stitch with pink thread around the bottom to add a little something to it.

Down on the farm...Spring edition

Lots of action on the farm these days! How cute are these little ones?Bottle feeding a set of twins (their mom doesn't make enough milk to adequately nourish both of them at this stage).

Yum, yum, yum.Meanwhile, the bystanders get curious. This one is tasting my jeans.Older and wiser, this woman is aware that there are special goodies in there (she is not the twins' mother, but knows that there is food in the stall with them for their mother). In my opinion, the cow above is huge. No body shot to prove my point, but she did want to know about the make and model of my camera.

The two older children are getting to work on their animals that they will be showing this year. Number 3 is beginning to assist with some of the brushing and so forth, but these animals don't quite have the best personality for her to start working with yet beyond that. She begged to do it herself, so when it seemed like safe moment, I let go and backed off.

She said, "Get your head up girl!" (In a very demanding tone!) I asked, "Where did ya' hear that?" She replied, "I've heard everything Grandpa has told them."

Every time I see this photo, I imagine the heifer, Patches, saying, "Now really. Who do you think is in charge here?" It is likely that Patches weighs 14 times what L weighs.But knowing Little L as I do, she is probably more in charge than Patches realizes. Or perhaps she does...notice the obediently held up head. L is demonstrating inappropriate footwear for working around cattle. (In case you were wondering...)

New pjs!

There isn't a ton of extra time for sewing around here, and since this one has been well-clothed with hand-me-downs from a friend, as well as her sister, I haven't made much of anything specifically for her except for matching outfits (and this kind of falls in that category). Since we moved, she's grown and no longer has any things from our friends to grow in to, and her sister is built differently, plus has worn out things, so it was time. This was the first time I have used a higher quality flannel, and I do think it is holding up better. She wore them all day today as we have been passing a cold around and she seems to have it the worst, and spent half of the day on the couch.

Our new little fish

After a few years of not being able to put any of the kids in summer group swim lessons, we decided it was time to invest in a few private lessons to help the girls become better swimmers, and for their improved safety when we are in or around water this summer. It was pretty amazing to see the progress little L made in just a few weeks. Before they started, she would hardly even get her face wet, and has progressed to being able to jump in and get back to the side, swim the width of the pool taking breaths, and swim to the bottom to retrieve something. She's definitely not a "strong" swimmer yet, but with some time in the pool, now has the tools to get there.

Sunday, Sunday...

As a homeschooling family, the big days/events that mark passages of time and growing up can sometimes be a little different. Primary grades come and go without "graduation" ceremonies, and while there is a similar kind of excitement and anticipation at the start of each new school year, the kids aren't going to have a different teacher each year or go to a "new" school at a certain point, with all the emotions that accompany those experiences for both the children and the parents. So for us, the time when Promotion Sunday comes around at church for their Sunday school classes provides more of that marker of time.

Today was that day, and the kids have been anticipating it ever since it was announced a month or so ago. It is a rare day when I cry, and though today wasn't one of them. it did cause me to tear up a bit when they reminded me this morning before we left of this fact, primarily thinking about our youngest moving up into the first and second grade class from Kindergarten.

I want to remember how when they were dismissed from the church service, she ran out ahead of me with all the other kids (she basically knew what to do and where to go, but I was following just to make sure) with confidence, but ran into a little friend at the top of the stairs on the way out of the auditorium who asked if she was going to first grade, too, and they joined hands to head into this new realm. (It was heart-melting!) They walked out into the area where the kids join up with their teachers, and found their new place, still hand in hand.

It's good that they are growing up and becoming more mature and moving on - that's what kids are supposed to do. But it's a bittersweet time for the parents. I walked away thinking that it won't be long before they are too "grown up" to hold hands when they walk to class together. The sweet innocence of the earliest of the primary school age years will fade away and their will be new adventures and challenges. Hopefully all of our children will always have a sweet friend to hold their hand along the way - figuratively if not literally.

(Picture taken of L and friend several months ago...)

Playing with art

For some time now, I've wanted to start an art journal, or alter a book. (If you aren't familiar with either of these forms of art, you can search the internet or look at your local library to get an idea.) Well, after a few years of looking at others' and reading about the process, I've dived in. It seems like each artist has their own favorite materials to work with. Recently, I mentioned The Artistic Mother and the blog by the same author. She frequently mentions and uses Portfolio Water Soluble Oil Pastels, which I would like to try when I get a chance to order them. In the meantime, these "water soluble wax pastels" by Reeves were available locally, so we're (I'm not the only one using them) giving them a try. These are going to be designated to the kids once the others are ordered, or for traveling. They work OK, but it sounds like the Portfolios are probably better. The journal page on the left is mine, and the one on the right was done by my 5yo daughterIt was pretty impressive that though she followed the original layout of mine (below),she was very creative in coming up with her own designs to fill in the boxes.

Grateful day 12: L

Little L of course! She definitely adds Life and sparkle to our family!

Last first violin lesson

Finally started the last little one on violin. (She started a year older than the other two for many reasons.) After watching her brother and sister every day for almost 4 years, it's her turn now!

All set to go!How to hold the bow properlyLearning something new!

Milestone moment

The "wee one" (who is becoming less and less "wee" every day) has now accomplished the feat of riding a bike. As can be seen here, at the moment it involves quite a workout for Dad, who has to run along with her to help her stop since the bike is too big for her (and also helps her get started). She is riding her uncle's old bike. Remember banana seats?

This is how I learned to ride - on gravel without pads and helmets.

Thankful it has warmed up a bit again today!

Thursday and Friday it snowed again. The kids have been cooped up too much the past few weeks. I was looking for the "pause" button on the 4yo the past few days (for both her mouth and her body). Actually on all three of them!!! I'm especially thankful it is warming up a bit this weekend as we will be outside for 3 hours Saturday afternoon at the opening day for soccer.

Here is the little "organizer" of the younger set. Fortunately there is at least one of them. She felt the plastic-ware storage cabinet needed some work on was busy on this for about 1/2 an hour. Phew. Another birthday was celebrated this week (mine). We didn't do anything particularly exciting, but did make Baklava Ice Cream Topping (from Jenna's blog) that was really good (and really easy)!

Words for Wednesday, and a funny photo

In a brief moment of blog browsing, I ran across the heading "words for Wednesday" here, and thought of something I read on contentment a few days ago in Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon. If you would like to read the whole thing, you can do so here. But here is a bit of it that caused me to stop and ponder:


Morning, February 16
“I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
Philippians 4:11
THESE words show us that contentment is not a natural propensity of man. ... Covetousness, discontent, and murmuring, are as natural to man as thorns are to the soil. We need not sow thistles and brambles; they come up naturally enough, because they are indigenous to earth: and so, we need not teach men to complain; they complain fast enough without any education. But the precious things of the earth must be cultivated. If we would have wheat, we must plough and sow; if we want flowers, there must be the garden, and all the gardener’s care. Now, contentment is one of the flowers of heaven, and if we would have it, it must be cultivated; it will not grow in us by nature; it is the new nature alone that can produce it, and even then we must be specially careful and watchful that we maintain and cultivate the grace which God has sown in us. Paul says, “I have learned ... to be content;” as much as to say, he did not know how at one time. It cost him some pains to attain to the mystery of that great truth."

Life has not been as pleasant or smooth-sailing as I would like for it to be recently, and this reading was a good reminder that contentment is something that takes work and effort - it is easier, and more natural, to grumble, complain, and indulge in self-pity, than to choose contentment.

To end on a lighter note, this was taken about noon today. Yes, she's still in her pajamas, but all three of them have come down with their first cold of the school year and are a bit puny.

Not sure what is up with the hat - she's been wearing it around the house the past 24 hours - but she is "driving" her baby around in this car/bus(?) and hamming it up in true form.