Blog Archive

Monday, May 24, 2010

Summer Sewing

I finished a project finally.  My daughter and her little neighborhood friends decided to have a water fight day before yesterday for a birthday party. As I was picking her up from the party, I noticed that she was poured into her suit from last year.  It was obviously to small, since she was picking it out of her butt after every step.  We were headed for Joann's Fabric store anyway, so I decided I would make her a suit.  This idea didn't actually just come on a whim.  When I was little, my grandma made me a swimsuit.  I still remember it. It was bright ass pink, and I remember her talking about how easy the pattern was because it started out just a square.  I thought I could do it, so I tried my luck.  I will try my best to explain the pattern so you can get it.  This can be made for adults or children.  I added straps but the original pattern ends up strapless.
 I remember my grandma saying it only took 1 yard of fabric.  I am sure now, that I making that up in my head, but it worked for me.  I actually bought 1 1/2 yds, but ended up with quite a bit left over.  The idea is simple.  Cut a square of fabric.  I used a 30 inch square for my daughter, but you certainly could go larger if needed.  A thirty inch square made the ties around the top about 42 inches around.  After you have cut the square of fabric, you will need to cut it diagonally in half.  This should give you two right triangles.  Using the 90 degree angled corner of each overlap them.  I overlapped by three inches and that seemed perfect.
So if you are understanding my directions you should have two triangles with right angles overlapping forming a diamond.  My diamond had three inch sides.  I took a small zig zag stitch and stitched them together.  Make sure that you stitch both sides, and that both pieces of fabric are facing the same way.  Either both right side up or both right side down. This forms the crotch of the suit.  I also hemmed about 1/2 inch on the long sides of the triangles which become the ties.  On one of the long sides I found the center and went out four inches and attached one 14 inch long strap to go over her head.  This worked, but I think I may have to adjust it in just a tad bit.
To wear the suit, take one long edge of a triangle and tie it around your chest.  If you attach a strap of some sort, start with that. Feed the rest of the suit between your legs and pull the other triangle up behind you.  Take the remaining long side and tie it around your waist.  There is your suit.
What I loved about this is that it really easy an easy suit to make and the materials only cost me $7.00.  Have fun and don't forget your sunscreen!!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

What did I do wrong?

I know it has been a long time since I posted. I had an epiphany yesterday sparking this post.  I was running out of things to write about.  I couldn't think of any great stories or epic adventures so I hadn't written.  What I realized though, is that my life has been crazy and it is good enough to write about it.  This is supposed to be about me. 
A few things of note have happened in the last two weeks.  The first and most important is my husband got a job at a local prison.  We are trying to prepare for the change as much as we can.  He has to go to a POST academy in Boise which is about 6 hours away for five weeks.  This couldn't have come at a worse time really.  I am so happy for him, but my brother is coming home from Afghanistan and we have a big family get together planned for about 5 weeks from now. My dreads is that my husband's graduation and my brother's homecoming will be the same weekend. We'll know more on May 24th, when my hubby goes for orientation.  I guess no point in stressing before that, even though my mother-in-law has already started the guilt trip.
The second thing is that the sickness in my house has been spreading like wildfire.  It's all my fault.  I got strep throat, went to the doctor, got my antibiotics, got over it.  I also gave it to my hubby, not to bad, but enough for him to feel cruddy.  Then my daughter pops up with this crazy rash all over her body.  I take her to the doc and he says that she has scarlet fever, probably from my having strep.  Good gravy, what a wreck she was.  Itching all over, we basically bathed her in calamine lotion twice daily and a round of antibiotics for her.  Then from me taking antibiotics and my son breast feeding he got thrush.  I took him to the doc to get that checked and the doc finds that he also has double ear infections.  Nothing better for thrush than another damned round of antibiotics.  So now he is on antibiotics and thrush medication and I have to use the thrush medication on my breasts to make sure this nastiness doesn't come full circle.  I just hate that my baby is sick again.
Which brings me to the title of this blog.  What did I do wrong with this baby? He seems sick a lot.  It just kills me. When I was young and stupid and pregnant with my first baby I smoked the whole time, I ate like a hog, I didn't exercise, I drank soda all day long, and delivered a healthy baby girl naturally with no problems.  I didn't have the support I needed to keep breast feeding so I quit after three weeks.  I continued to smoke and she still was pretty darned healthy.  It seems like against all odds she was healthy.  Now I am smart enough to know that I was lucky.  I have seen people lose babies and have sick babies and I know that I shouldn't press the odds.  I decided with this next baby, I was doing it right.
I quit smoking, I ate healthy, I quit drinking soda and switched to decaf tea.  I tried to exercise a little when I could.  I tried to do everything right.  I ended up with a c-section because his heart rate was dropping. Jaundice for the first week. We have fought ear infections, RSV with bronchiolitis, thrush, and numerous colds that seem to come with his teeth.  I am still breast feeding and can proudly say my son has never had formula.  I try to still eat healthy for him.  I take my vitamins every day. What am I doing wrong?  Is this karma for taking chances with my daughter?  Since I have been a stay at home mom and he was breastfed, it really makes me think I am doing something wrong.  It is so frustrating when someone says to me, oh no..your baby is sick again. I thought breastfed babies didn't get sick this often.  Yeah! Me too.  I truly hope this is not my fault and I am not doing something wrong. I would assume that if there was real reason for concern my doctor would let me know, but it still gets me feeling like he is suffering because of me.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Helping the community!!

I know I am a couple days late for my weekly post...okay a week late.  I have been so busy lately.  My kids have me hopping everyday it seems.  I also helped with a big project at my church this week.  It has been very exciting for me.  My grandma who passed in 1990 had a vegetable garden for as long as I can remember. She grew dill, carrots, cucumbers, zuchini, and more.  I remember so well visiting her garden, and then eating the food when she canned it for us.  Those are probably my best memories of my grandma Burt.  My family didn't pick up the garden fever or the canning fever when I was young, but I have always thought I was missing out on something there.  Then came a blessing in disguise.  It was disguised as my mother-in-law. She is a serious gardener, all organic and huge garden at her house.  We got to talking and I decided I wanted to garden too.  We tilled up a small plot in my little yard here and I started my garden. I grow tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce, cucumbers, beans, watermelons, and peppers.  I have enjoyed myself so much, and she also cans.  We take our delicious veggies and can them for the whole year. My mom even found my grandma Burt's dill pickle recipe and for the first time in 20 years, I had my grandma's pickles again. It brought tears to my eyes.  I shared with the whole family..I know she would have been proud.
This year my mother-in-law and I have decided to take it up a notch and really share our love with everyone around us.  Our church had a large lot behind it that was going unused.  Good Shepherd Lutheran Church graciously helped us plow the land and make a community garden.  This isn't just a garden for the community to enjoy, it is split into plots that the community can sign up to plant.  There are almost thirty plots now, and room for many more if needed.  We came together as a church to give everyone the chance to have a garden.  We have already had four people claim plots to grow in.  The church youth are also going to man a plot to donate the food to the local food bank.  We have a thieves plot if someone needs to steal a bite as well. We are so excited about this project.  We really hope the community gets involved.  If you live in the Lewiston Idaho area you should definitely come by and get a plot.  "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.”