Some progress to report!

Well, I am very happy to say, I finished my OWL! I knit the 2 baby camo bibs, a sweater for Charlie, with matching slippers (of which the children have already lost 1) and little leg warmer/hamhock covers for winter. He also got a new pair of socks.

I did not finish Ari's socks in time to turn in for complete points. :0( I am hoping to finish them by tomorrow...when my sweet baby girl turns 6!!

I did get a wonderful present for my birthday, though. My dad bought me a new sewing machine!! It is awesome. Though, it still doesn't have all the stitch options I had hoped for, I am still THRILLED with it!

Yesterday was the first day I got to use it. I made Melodie a purse with matching coin purse (cursing my snap attacher....grrr. It's a hand press, not part of my sewing machine, and let's just say, I now have to cover the hole I accidentally pressed in her purse! sigh) And I made Ari a baby Hermione doll she had asked for, for her b-day, to go with her baby Harry. I just have to embroider the face tonight and whip up some clothes and a blanket. I ♥ my new machine!

I'm hoping to work the heel on the sock tonight, and I'll probably have to finish up the foot tomorrow during lulls in work. I've also got to bake her cake tonight. She was inspired by one of her friend's b-day cakes, so I'm tweaking it a little bit because I don't have the necessary baking apparatus to recreate that one! I'm doing a quarter sheet cake, and we're making cupcake fairy houses on top! My mom got me a piping tip and dye set for my b-day. (I had been buying tips as necessary.)

The cake!

I got it done! I think Charlie's cake turned out great. I was so proud. I kinda wish I hadn't put the nose on it, but all in all, I was very pleased. It tasted extra yummy, too!

Charlie had fun. He didn't really get into the opening the presents part, but we got him a wooden shape/color train and a wooden shape sorter thing with other little activities, and he LOVED them! He wouldn't stop playing with them after his uncle opened them for him.

He wasn't very thrilled with the cake! He didn't like the frosting on his hands. He kept trying to scrape it off and throw it on the floor. I fed him off a fork, and he gobbled it up, though. Silly Monkey. He played so good and had so much fun. It was a nice day. Before the party, daddy was hanging out with the boys (before the girls even got home from school) and they were playing cars together. Charlie would even mimic the sounds Atley was making. It was too cute! My baby is certainly growing up.

Good Day

Well, I've had a pretty good last couple days! Yesterday, I went to my BFF's baby shower. It was fun. I got to give her my yarned goodies. I still owe her a dalmatian hat, but I figure I can give that to her in the hospital when baby is finally here! Oh, and it was so funny, my other BFF (the 3 of us are pretty much 3 peas in a pod) was babysitting her little niece who is 1 month older than Charlie. We sat them at the head of the table in their highchairs next to each other so they could play. It was too cute! They held hands. They shared pancakes, eggs, and Cheerios. She kept putting her finger in his mouth, and he'd suck on it. Then, he'd check out her buttons. They even shared toys! No fighting or biting at all. Very impressive for one year olds! We've decided they make a cute couple and are destined to be together. (We had decided that when Charlie was born, though!)

The girls got to help with the presents. They took turns holding the trash bag for the wrapping paper and were so excited. Ari won a door prize! She got a movie night gift basket, which is her favorite thing in the world.

My mom took the kids for an overnighter afterwards. I must say, I did enjoy it, although strangely, spring break went much happier and smoother than I thought it would, crappy weather and all! It was a pleasant surprise. Maybe summer won't be so dreadful this year...we'll see!

Dan's friend came over last night to celebrate his birthday. I made his good cake, and they both loved it! His friend kept saying how he hates chocolate cake and icing, but that was the best he ever ate, and he just loved it! Yay for me and my cake!

My mom still has the kids. I got the lawn mowed this morning. I'm doing good on getting work done. Charlie just laid down for a nap. It's been a good day!

I'm almost done with Charlie's dino. I hope to have it done tonight. I just need to do the feet and embroider the eyes. I finished the head last night. I can't wait for his birthday! I can't believe my sweet baby is going to be 1 already. He is still SO close to crawling. He gets on all fours, and then sits back down. He's doing good pulling himself up now. Hopefully in the next month or so, we'll finally get him walking, or at least scooting/crawling in the right direction! (He can scoot himself backwards on his belly with his arms. He can scoot on his butt wherever he wants to go, though.) Charlie will be getting a sock monkey cake for his birthday. I'm going to do a banana pudding filling in it! I can't wait. I'm so excited to get started on it!

I've also been inspired by Inspired Mama Musings (her button is on my blog! Check her out, she does some AWESOME work!) to break out the good ole' sewing machine again. I've been wanting to, but I just haven't had the drive to sew. I admit it, I'm lazy. I like to sit on the couch and knit. I have to sit in an uncomfortable wood chair to sew. But, I think I'm finally going to make the girls' dresses I got the fabric for last year. I really want to take the kids to get their pictures taken at the park. I'm hoping my mom's boyfriend will take some so Dan and I can get in them, too. We haven't done a family picture since Melodie was a baby, so we're long overdue! I was going to make the boys matching overall outfits, too, but my mom picked up a little short outfit for Atley on her last vacation, and it happens to match almost exactly a little outfit that used to be his that Charlie can wear now, so I think I'll leave them at that. I do need to make him his Spiderman jammies I've had the fabric for for over a year though. He doesn't really have any summer jammies for this year that will fit!

Hippity, Hoppity Easter's on it's Way....

The kids got letters from the Easter Bunny yesterday! My mom had signed them up for it at work. They were SO excited. They got right to work painting him pictures to leave.

Today, we're dying eggs. They've been begging all week. We're also making bunny nests and some krispy speckled eggs.

I've got to get my cake baked for tomorrow. I'm going to do a poke cake. That way, we can still celebrate Dan's birthday with his parents tomorrow. Dan loves poke cakes. And, if I don't make it, I know we won't have one because just my luck it would be the year his mom decides to not make him one. How pissed off do I get when I invite them down for cake and ice cream, and she brings a cake too!?!!? And of course, it's always a stupid Volkswagen cake. grrrr Then, not only do we have 2 cakes to eat, but all the effort I put into baking him a really nice cake that he asks for is put to waste. So, I'm going to make a poke cake just in case. If we don't eat it tomorrow, we can have it Monday on his actual birthday. Then, I can make him his special cake for his party next Saturday!