life with my 3 sons

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Jan 31 books 6-8

#6 - Sylvester by Georgette Heyer - my favorite author, one of my favorite books.  A+
#7 - The Lady's Companion by Carla Kelly - Good book, not one of my faves from her.  B+
#8 - Waking up Married by Mira Lyn Kelly - silly Harlequin.  Very fluffy. B-

Friday, January 18, 2013

Jan 18, 2013

#5 - Miss Whittier Makes a List by Carla Kelly A+ Great book, great characters, great romance. :)

Monday, January 14, 2013

January 14, 2013

Trying to keep track of what I do this year.

Sewing - finished brown pants from my TNT trouser pattern.  Turned out well, just like I had expected as this is the 3rd time I've made this pattern. (1)  I've got my tweed pencil skirt cut out, but I'm going to make a real lining for this one, so I need to adjust the pattern for the lining.  I want to sew the fashion fabric first, though, so I can make any fitting adjustments (if necessary).  Hoping for another TNT pattern.

Reading- finished "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand.  Read this for book club.  I never would have read it otherwise because I generally don't read non-fiction on my own.  It was good.  Not my usual type of book, but made me think, that's for sure! B. (1)

Also read Miss Grimsley's Oxford Career by Carla Kelly.  This is more my usual book and I loved it.  It was a great romance with a strong heroine and an interesting hero. A (2)

Finished Divergent by Veronica Roth.  Really interesting.  Looking forward to reading the second one. B+ (3)

Finished Daughter of Fortune by Carla Kelly.  Her first novel.  Different than her usual story, but still very good.  B+ (4)

Currently reading Sylvester by Georgette Heyer for book club - my choice.  This is one of my favorite books by one of my favorite author.

Saturday, January 08, 2011

OK, so I know that nobody reads this blog, but that's OK. I think I'm going to use it more for me, to keep a record of my sewing, and maybe a little about my boys.

First, my new year's resolutions are mostly regarding sewing & shopping. I want to make, instead of buy, my clothes this year. However, I will 'allow' myself to buy a jeans, which I'm not brave enough to make yet, and possibly a cardigan or two. I'm addicted to cardigans. oh, and all underclothing. I don't make that either. Of course, less than a week into the new year I bought a t-shirt. In my defense, it was on clearance, was cream & black striped, and something I had been wanting to add to my wardrobe for some time. I totally forgot about my resolution until I got home. Oh, and another temptation will be the H&M that is opening in the mall that adjoins my office building. At least I have a few months before that opens!

My favorite thing to make is skirts, so I've decided that I need to make a top in between each bottom. This is a challenge for me because the fitting issues for my lower body are way easier to fix (take a wedge out of the centre back) than the issues I have with tops. I think my back is a larger size than my front, and I have broad shoulders & long arms. Oh, and a defined waist. My waist is the part of my body I like to emphasize the most. It will be good for me to sew tops so I can hopefully figure some of these fit issues out.

Last year my goal was to sew an article of clothing for myself each month, and I achieved that, plus a couple of extra items for me & a few things for my boys. This year my goal is 2 items of clothing per month for me. I believe that's doable.

I don't have a set plan for the year. I saw on someone's blog that they had decided what to work on each month for the first 6 months of the year. I don't think I can do that. However, I do have an idea of some things I want to make this year:

- A wrap dress - I have the pattern & fabric. I've only started sewing knits, and I'm really, really enjoying it.
- Pants. I have a difficult to fit body, and I really want to start making my own dress pants. I have fabric, I just need to find a pattern.
- denim jacket, but in a pea coat style. I don't have the denim, but I know I have a pattern somewhere in my collection of Burda magazines. I plan on binding all the seams with bias tape. Maybe I should get a cute cotton print to use, and a bias tape maker.
- A parka. I have some black & white mini-houndstooth - yards & yards of it, actually, and I'd like to get some white flannel to underline it, and I'll need a lining fabric as well. I have the pattern.
- Khaki skirt - have the pattern & fabric
- Brown & navy work skirts - have the fabric, just need to decide the patterns. Burda has so many cute skirts, it's hard to decide, but I'll be grading down at least one Burda plus size skirt - possibly from the Jan 2011 issue.

That's not a comprehensive list, but ti's what has been on my mind the most.

Today I finished a pair of pants for my youngest son - review to come. I'm working on a Burda 09-2010 turtleneck that I should have finished today as well. Then I need to sew up a pair of pants for my oldest - they are already cut out, I just need to stitch them. After that I think I'll do the leggings & long top from the Jan 2011 Burda, simply because I'm having fun with knits, and they look SO cozy! Of course, the weather, being cold & windy, probably contributes to that desire. I'm not sure I'll ever wear the leggings out of the house, but they will be nice for lounging!

There, now it's in writing.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Oh wow, I hadn't realized it was so long since I posted. But since I'm posting only for me, really, it doesn't matter.

On Tuesday we took the boys Christmas shopping. James took Ben & Tim to buy for Gabriel, and I took Gabe to buy for Ben (the gift he wanted to get Tim was at Chapters, not at the mall). Anyway, we're walking through Toys R Us, and Gabe is seeing all kinds of things HE wants. I kept reminding him we were shopping for his brothers and that his brothers were shopping for him. Finally he wasjust so frustrated with everything he turned to me and said "But I'M a brother too!!"

Eventually he picked out a set of Space Police Lego for Ben. Then, since James wasn't finished with the other boys, and Gabriel needed to go to the bathroom, I took the extended time alone with him to coach him on what to say if his brothers ask what he got them for Christmas. After much practice he was responding with "It's a secret" every time I asked him what he got Ben for Christmas. Yay! Then, as Ben, Gabe & I were hanging out while James to Tim to buy for Ben, Gabriel turned to Ben & said "I'm not going to tell you I got you Space Police Lego for Christmas because it's a secret!"

Oh, and for the record, according to Gabriel, the words to Jingle Bells are:

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Snow is fun, it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh

It is so fun to see how excited Tim & Ben are about buying gifts for their brothers. They are still excited about their own gifts, but they are really looking forward to seeing the gifts they picked out opened up as well.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Tim is so funny. He has a hard time making up his mind about pretty much anything. Here's a conversation I had with him the other day.

Me: Tim, what would you like for breakfast? Cereal or a peanut butter sandwich?

Tim: Honey toast.

Me: OK, you can have honey toast.

Tim: Can I have Nutella on one piece?

Me: Sure

Tim: Can I have Nutella on both pieces?

Me: No, Nutella on just one.

Tim: OK mom. Nutella & peanut butter toast.

Me: Peanut butter? I thought you wanted honey!

Tim: Nope, just Nutella and peanut butter

(btw, choosing an option that isn't given is another thing Tim likes to do)

Monday, August 20, 2007

A few days ago Ben, who was snuggling with me on the couch, looks up at me and says "Mom, what would I do without you?" and I melt. I say, "Oh Ben, that's so sweet!" and he replies "I'd do all those things you don't let me do!!"