Wanting to wish all my dear friends a very Happy New Year! May the Lord keep you and bless you.

Blessings,
Sommer

A Little Trip to the Railroad Museum

This Christmas break I've been blessed to have my hubby home a bit more. He works two jobs and his teaching job is on break right now also:-) So, my sweetie suggested that we take the kids up to the Railroad Museum on Monday and a grand idea it was!

We left early(well, sort of) Monday morning and headed out on a 2 or so hour trip. The kids were all surprisingly well behaved, non complaining on our trip and Dan and I had an opportunity to chat on the drive up.

Once we got there, we finished any lunch and drinks we had and wandered about the grounds. The kids promptly found the above train car and had to be up on it. Of course, Liam wanted to be up there with the girls...so I climbed up too:-) There were some tracks too to run along and Liam enjoyed staring at some huge engines locked away in some shed..I'm sure he was planning ways to get in that shed.

After a little time out there, we headed to the actual museum and began our adventure. The old steam engines are just awesome! The size of them amazes me and surely made us feel a touch dwarfed in comparison...

Dan and the kids graciously posed next to the enormous wheels of this grand engine. Dan just barely stands taller than them!

The pic in the very beginning is of the oldest engine of the Central Pacific line. Beautiful and awesome. I also got some pics of very lovely engines, painted and decorated/shined up beautifully as well as the interior of one of the coaches. If I remember I will post a picture or two of those later. Really worth looking at. I know that trains today are much more efficient in comparison to the old steam engines...but the beauty with which they were designed just floors me sometimes. It is kind of like the old sewing machines..today they look so boring(and often don't work half so well), where the old Singers and Whites look so gorgeous(and usually can still function if well cared for). Unfortunately I don't think the steam engines function as well as the old sewing machines.

After we had a tour Dan took the girls up into an old engine that you could sit in. They waved at me, but I had to move to make Liam happy and missed the picture opportunity:-( After that we headed up to the toy train display and that was fun. Seeing all the old Lionel trains and tracks was great. I know Dan really liked that and Liam was pretty enamored with it himself! Of course, the icing on the cake was the Thomas Train play area...little boy heaven!

Doesn't he look pleased?! A few minutes later we had to move on and we had a bit of drama. For shame on mama and daddy for removing him so soon! Of course, it would have been too soon no matter what! LOL!

The large workings of an engine..beautiful in its iron splendor!

All in all, it was a splendid day! A lovely way to round our out Christmas holidays. I'm so glad my hubby thought of it and I know that the kids(even the girlie who just the day before insisted-dramatically-that she didn't want to go and didn't like trains) had a good time:-) I just wish we could have stayed a touch longer to enjoy the Old Town around the museum area...but it was great!

And just a side note to say that I have not forgotten that I said I would share what I'd made for the kids this Christmas. Soon...

Blessings,
Sommer

Merry Christmas!!!

Well, the countdown is going and things are bustling:-) Okay...I'm not bustling as much as some folks I know, but for a pregnant woman in her 6th month...well, this is as good as it gets!

Last night I was able to complete the last gift for the kids and tonight I will be wrapping the gifts after all the munchkins go to bed. I'm glad to give my sewing machine a break(I think it is glad too). I will share pics after the gifts have been given:-)

Today, between a doctor appointment and daily duties, I baked some sugar cookies and packaged candy(that had been made Sunday afternoon). Tomorrow we will be icing cookies and I will begin early in the morning making Challah bread. I made it one year and it has become the bread of choice for our Christmas Eve gathering. I'm glad...I enjoy making it, although it is rather time consuming.

We will get together with Dan's family tomorrow night and then on Christmas day we will go to my parents'. Originally, Dan was going to be able to come to my parents' but he just found out that he must work the day shift :-( I'm totally bummed out, but I am glad that I can use the car(after taking him and then picking him up later to work)and go to my parents' with the kids...they will like that. We will do our private family festivities after he gets home in the afternoon.

Well, it is nice to be taking a break. My back has begun to get sore now when I stand or do too much, so I need to remember to take a break as I can. I know the present wrapping will be hard on me, but I will gladly do it:-)

I wont probably get back on here before Christmas, so I pray all of you have a safe, blessed and joy-filled one. May the Lord bless you all very much!

Blessings,
Sommer

**The pic above is of our tree for this year. It is small and Charlie Brownish...just how I like it:-)

A Meme...just because :-)

I popped over to Sarah's blog this morning and found this interesting meme, and since I had nothing else ready to write, I thought I'd do it:-) No rules posted...but join in if you want and let me know.

***

100 Truth's!

***

Last beverage: Steaming cup of hot cocoa...yummy yum yum!
Last phone call: Talked to my Mom for our usual evening chat.
Last instant message: Hmmm...really don't remember.
Last song you listened to: Hark the Herald Angels Sing...played by my daughter on the piano.
Last time you cried: While listening to a rather sad song on the radio just before going into the grocery store...pregnancy hormones, it doesn't take much ;-)
Last text message: I don't do text messaging...don't have a cell phone.

***

HAVE YOU EVER:

Dated someone twice? Not sure what that means...gone on a second date?yes, dated someone again after a time?no.
Been cheated on? Unfortunately, yes...but not by my sweet hubby:-)
Kissed someone & regretted it? Yes, eventually. I'd have done some things in my life a little differently.
Lost someone special? Yes, a dear Grandma.

***

LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS: Blue, some yellows and dusty rose.

***

IN THE PAST MONTH HAVE YOU:

Fallen out of love? No
Laughed until you cried? Yes, it was something some child did...can't remember it now though.
Met someone who changed your life? Don't think so.
Found out who your true friends were? No
Have you kissed anyone? My hubby and my children and my parents.

***

What is your favorite flower? Daffodils and Morning Glorys
How many kids do you want to have? At least four...and that will happen this spring:-)
Do you want to change your name? Not now, but when I was a child I contemplated it...I was teased terribly.
What did you do for your last birthday? Not much.
What time did you wake up today? 7:05am
What were you doing at midnight last night? Heading to bed after sewing.
Name something you CANNOT wait for? Nothing...there is just nothing pressing I'm waiting for...except for my baby, but I HAVE to wait for her:-)
Last time you saw your father? Last month.
What's one thing you wish you could change? That we had enough to move into a bigger place.
Have you ever talked to a person named Tom? Yes.
What's getting on your nerves right now? My sore throat..ick!
What's your real name? If you know me..you already know it:-)
Middle Name? Leanne
Zodiac sign? It is scorpio...but I just don't know why I know that.
Hair color? Medium brown
Long or short? Shoulder length, but I wish it would grow longer..it is at a stand still currently:-/
Height? 5' 2"
Tattoos? No.
Righty or lefty? Righty.

***

FIRSTS :

First surgery: c-section with Fiona
First piercing: Ears when I was about 9 or 10. But now I can't wear earrings.
First best friend? Jasmine
First sport you joined? Don't think I ever did this.
First pet? Bilbo our German Shepherd mix.
First vacation? Hmmm, don't know.

***

CURRENTLY :

Eating: Just ate snickerdoodles.
Drinking: Hot Chocolate
Waiting: For the timer to go off so we can restart school and be done for two weeks!

***

YOUR FUTURE :

Want kids? I have 3 children and my 4th on the way and I have a 5th that went home.
Want to get married? I am to my sweet hubby:-)
Careers in mind? To be a helpmeet to my hubby and mother to my children...perhaps being a seamstress on the side:-)

***

WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX?

Lips or eyes? Eyes.
Hugs or kisses? I like both depending on who it is.
Shorter or taller? Taller, but not too much taller.
Older or Younger? My honey is a few months younger.
Sensitive or loud? I prefer sensitive.
Hookup or relationship? Relationship. Marriage.
Trouble-maker or hesitant? Neither...one who doesn't stir up trouble but isn't afraid to speak his mind in love is what I prefer.

***

HAVE YOU EVER :

Kissed a stranger? No
Drank hard liquor? Yes
Lost glasses/contacts? No
Ran away from home? No
Been arrested? No
Turned someone down? Yes
Cried when someone died? Yes. My Grandma and my Aunt.

***

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:

Yourself? I believe I can do all things through Christ, but I also believe I am a sinner and am only saved through God's grace.
Love at first sight? I think it depends on the people.
Santa Clause? No
Kiss on the first date? No, I would think that is way too fast.
Angels? Yes, but not like the typical representation of them. They are messengers of God doing His work. They do not have special power of their own but are created beings given abilities by God. I also doubt that they are ever feminine...I've never seen reference to any but in male form in the Bible.

What a fun little meme. Hope you enjoy!

Blessings,
Sommer

Christmas Program and Such

I've been very busy working on Christmas gifts and hope to finish a couple tonight. I finished Liam's gifts last week and I will take some pics and share tonight I hope. I've been working on some doll dresses for the girls and I believe I will finish them tonight(or at least up to the closures). I still have one more gift for each of the girls to work on though. It has been such fun!

I thought I'd share our decorations for our little place today. Above you see what is beside our front door. I cleared my fall decor and put up some pretty evergreen/holly faux plants in a vase and set out my snowmen. My favorite is a little blue and white one to the left in front. Sorry you can't see it very well. This old treadle machine and cabinet make for a perfect display piece:-)

Here I decided to share where I placed our stockings. They are a bit high for the kids to reach when they have goodies in them, but I told them we'd get them down Christmas morning. This particular wall area was so bare and the nativity scene looked so lonely. I've had this particular nativity scene since we were married and I really enjoy its rustic look. I also have a garland around the area with a good smelling Christmas candle and a snow globe that belongs to one of the girls. I'm really enjoying looking around my house right now and I feel very much at peace this Christmas.

One of the things I like doing during the month of December is looking at Christmas lights on the streets of our neighborhood and other areas as we drive about. I often finish my errands as the night falls and lights come on and it is so beautiful:-) One of our simple ways of celebrating. Last week we also took a trip to downtown and looked at Christmas in the Park. I believe I mentioned this last year, but it is something I've been doing since I was a girl and we try to continue the tradition with our family. It is fun, pretty and relatively inexpensive.

Sunday our church put on their annual Christmas Program. I usually sing with the choir but I didn't return this year because of the time and lack of car at that hour. Brenna decided she didn't want to join in either and so only our Fiona participated. She sang about three songs with her Sunday School choir and then was an angel for our nativity scene(done to music). It was lovely and I was so proud of her. Here she is waiting for practice to be over and the show to start. Cutie pie!

So what are you doing to celebrate Christmas?

Blessings,
Sommer

Something for the Season in the Poetry Corner

Just wanted to let you know that I've put up a new post in the Poetry Corner. It is a Christmas song that I very much like and wanted to share the words with you. I hope you enjoy

Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming

The Stockings Were Hung by the Chimney With Care...

If you remember, I posted about some stockings I wanted to make since the size of my family is increasing. Well, it took me a little while to sit down and get to it, but I have finally finished:-)

After making a simple pattern(inspired by my Mom's stockings from when I was a girl), I cut the fabric out and began! First, I hand sewed the pieces for the toes and heels on and then sewed on the lace(for the girlies) and red ric rac(for the men folk). I thought it would be easier to apply these touches before sewing the stockings together...and I was right...splendidly simple:-)

Yesterday, I sewed each one up and then turned them all out. I am very pleased with how they've turned out.

These are the kids' stockings(from left to right): Liam's, Fiona's and Brenna's.



And here are Dan and mine(Dan's on the left, mine on the right):



The only thing left to do when I took these pics was to put the little loop on for hanging. I asked the girls whether I should make a little elastic loop or use some of the ric rac and they voted unanimously for the ric rac:-) I put that on today and I really like them.

Now, I will wait until next year to make one for our wee one:-) Can't wait!

As I get some more gifts completed, I will no doubt share. So far, I've only gotten Liam's little toy made. Tonight I will be cutting out some fabric/patterns for the girls' dolls and perhaps making a little bag up for Liam. We'll see just how tired I am though.

How's your crafting coming along(if you are doing any)? Do share:-)

Blessings,
Sommer

Another Fun Meme

My dear friend Tilly has tagged me for a meme! I really love these:-)

***

Here are the rules:

1. Copy the questions and then answer them (post it on your blog remember).
2. Tag 4 people and let them know you have tagged them.
3. Let the person [who tagged you] know that you have done a post for the tag.

***

What are your nicknames?
Well, this was kind of hard to come up with as I don't have too many. But sometimes my hubby calls me "honey bun" or "Sommer bun". I really don't know why he tacks on the "bun" part...but he does:-) Of course my girls call me "mom" or "mommy" and my sweet little man calls me "mama"...I love that:-)

**

What TV game show or reality show would you like to be on?
I really don't watch any and so I'm not sure actually. I always thought Jeopardy would be fun though:-)

**

What was the first movie you bought in VHS or DVD?
I think the first movie I bought on VHS was Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea(can't be certain though) and on DVD it was Top Gun. I really enjoy that movie...there is a song I really like from it too.

**

What is your favourite scent?
I really don't "wear" scents much but I am especially fond of Lemon Verbena. My Grandma gave me an itty bitty little bottle when I was a girl and I've loved it ever since. Of course next would be Old Spice(the cologne or aftershave for men)..not for me but my hubby. It has such a lovely old fashioned aroma.

**

If you had one million dollars to spend only on yourself, what would you spend it on?
Okay, I really have a hard time only spending money on myself..who thought of this question?! But, since I have to ;-) First I would buy a home(not in CA) that had some land and if there was anything left(which there would be if not in CA) I'd get some chickens, sheep and a horse or two. And then if there was still some left...I'd maybe take a trip to Ireland with my family and then buy fabric..lots!

**

What is one place you've visited, can't forget and want to go back to?
Yosemite. It is a place of such beauty and wonder. God's creative handiwork is so obvious! Can't wait to visit again someday...maybe next spring?!

**

Do you trust easily?
It takes me a bit to trust folks. I try to give everyone a chance, but I wouldn't let just anyone know all sorts of things about me.

**

Do you generally think before your act, or act before you think?
I tend to think...alot...before I do anything. This can drive some folks nuts, but I'd rather take the time to think before I speak or do anything. It is rare that I act spontaneously.

**

Is there anything that had made you unhappy these days?
The fact that we can't afford to move to a bigger place yet and the fact that my home still is a cluttered mess in areas...urgh!

**

What is your favourite fruit?
Strawberries and Blackberries.

**

What websites do you visit daily?
I visit several favorite blogs and the S&S forum on a daily basis.

**

What have you been seriously addicted to lately?
Fabric and baby patterns!

**

What's the last song that got stuck in you head?
We Are The Champions by Queen..thanks honey.

**

What is your favourite thing to wear?
Thick, soft, warm slipper socks...so toasty.

**

Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy?
As Rice Krispy treats, definitely:-) There okay as cereal with milk if they don't sit too long.

**

What items couldn't you be without during the day?
A book and the bathroom.

**

What should you be doing right now?
Not much...I got most things done this afternoon and my back needs a rest. The benefits of being 5 months pregnant:-)

***

I'm not tagging this time since I think most everyone I know has been tagged. However, if you haven't been and want to jump in, go ahead and let me know:-)

Blessings,
Sommer...and I really don't know what is up with the underline!

Tagged...Another Random Meme

My sweet friend, Tracylea tagged me with a "random things meme", so although I've done one before, I thought I'd do it again:-) Why not!


Here are the rules:

Rule #1 ~ Link to the person that tagged you.
Rule #2 ~ Post the rules on your Blog.
Rule #3 ~ Write 6 random things about yourself.
Rule #4 ~ Tag 6 people at the end of your post.
Rule #5 ~ Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their Blog.
Rule #6 ~ Let the tagger know your entry is up.


Six more things you may or may not know about me:-)

1. I attended 3 different highschools. Not fun when you are a teen and it wasn't because we were military.

2. I broke my knee 14 years ago while riding my bike. Found myself in the middle of a lane of traffic...scary! Still can't ride a bike without some pain.

3. My wedding cost less than $1000.00 and most of that was the church fellowship hall/flowers and hubby's suit and my hair:-). My Grandma bought my dress for $10, altered for about $50 and my SIL made my veil, my aunt and uncle provided food, the church women set up and served the food, my MIL(to-be at the time) made the cake, my Grandma did the arrangements. It was wonderful!

4. I haven't ridden a horse since my bike accident(see above)...had been heading home from a ranch I worked at and I've just never had the opportunity since:-( I get sad about that sometimes and get all wistful too.

5. One of my favorite things to look upon is Mount Si in Washington state. I'm not even sure I spelled it right. My Grandma's house had a beautiful view of it out her front living room window. It was especially breathtaking when a large cloud of fog enveloped it.

6. I'm stealing this one sort of from Tracylea...I have a smidgen of Choctaw Indian in me as well...but it is really just a smidgen:-)

Since I've done this meme before I think I will skip the tagging part, but if you read this and haven't done it before(or feel like doing it again) jump right in and let me know:-) Hope you've enjoyed a little bit more of randomness from me!

I also hope you all had a very blessed Thanksgiving!

Blessings,
Sommer

Giving Thanks

I just wanted to pop in this morning and wish all my dear friends and readers a very Happy Thanksgiving! May each of you have a very blessed day, full of joy and blessings!

We actually will not be leaving for anything until this evening. Dinner will be at Dan's grandfather's home and I haven't been asked to bring anything...so it will be rather laid back today. I still may do a practice run of the item I plan on making for gifts this year(a yummy treat!), but otherwise I will just enjoy the day:-)

I have so much to be thankful for. I wanted to list just a few of them...

*I have an awesome Savior that died for me and by grace am I saved!

*I am married to a most wonderful man:-)

*I have three lovely children, all very special.

*I have been blessed with another sweet darling on the way!

*I have a roof over my head.

*I have food on the table.

And although there may be times I complain or my contentment lacks...I am still so much richer than I could ever imagine!

Have a wonderful day today and remember to give thanks to our Lord!

Blessings,
Sommer

The Pitter Pat of Little Feet

Light and faint, I feel you...just a glimmer of the little life within. I've waited for weeks to feel the little pit pat of tiny feet and hands with in. Now, glorious and glowing I feel you! Precious life within, blessed movement, gracious God...thank you Lord for the little blessing growing with in me.

Busy Week, Quiet Thursday

Some weeks are just busy. This has been one of them...at least in the beginning. Monday, I needed to run to Costco. It is always a bit hectic there, but my sweet hubby kept the kids with him and I was able to just run there and get what I needed and then head home. Unfortunately by the end of that day I had a whopper of a headache!

Tuesday we had a field trip planned, so the books were shelved and we hopped in the car. We headed to a local pizza shop called Pizza My Heart(the girls and Liam are gleefully modeling their t-shirts). We were with a few other homeschool moms and kids for a lovely tour of the shop. They were able to see the freezer(and go in..brrrr), watch a pizza get thrown(Fiona had the benefit of wearing one as a hat..no pic though:-( ), and then they got to make their own pizzas. What fun! This was definitely one of the most hands-on trips we've been on.

After that we headed to Safeway for a few items we can't get at Costco and then picked Dad up from work.

Wednesday was another busy day. We had a time at the park scheduled to celebrate a friend's birthday, but I had a headache and really wasn't looking forward to that:-( It went well enough and then off to Beverly's for some Christmas and sewing needs, then Trader Joe's for the last few things I can't get else where!

But today...I am home! Both because I planned it this way(I really need the break) and my husband's schedule was so crammed today. With one car, I sometimes am forced to stay at home and I am so happy for that! When you have just one car, it is so much easier to plan around that and I love having no choice but to say no to things sometimes:-)

To keep the day productive and enjoyable we have done a few things. We had our first full day of school this week and I got some laundry washed that was greatly needed. I continued to declutter my kitchen table which seems to get the worst the quickest! I also did dishes. But the thing I enjoyed the most was watching Brenna complete a pillow she made:-)




She started this pretty, pink pillow a couple of months ago and has been waiting for me to pick up some stuffing to fill it(yesterdays trip to Beverly's). She picked out the fabric herself and just stitched it up using straight stitches all the way around until about 3 inches from the final corner. We turned it right side out and she stuffed away, then closed the opening with simple little whip stitching. She is still learning so her stitches are sometimes uneven, but I am thrilled with her progress and her desire to learn! Now she plans on making her little Liam one for Christmas:-)

Tonight, I will throw together some dresses for the girls(hopefully) and iron the fabric that is newly washed for the stockings. Maybe I'll even be able to cut some of them out. Hopefully my headache will stay at bay, but I've been suffering from them a bit lately.

Well, now I'm off to make some Chocolate Chip Cookies and enjoy the rest of my quiet Thursday!

Blessings,
Sommer

Funny...why didn't I think of this!?

I came across the most ingenious tutorial ever! Okay, at least for a mom with an infant boy who was warned about needing to "be prepared" when changing said boy, for an unpleasant shower! You've just got to check this out if you have a little boy baby, are expecting one or just want an amused chuckle.

Now why didn't I think of this? As amusing as it is, it is a splendid idea(come on mom's of boys, you know it is)...and I think I just might make some if I have another little boy baby:-)

Blessings,
Sommer

Continuing a Tradition

When Dan and I began having children, I asked my Mom for some stockings she had made to use for our family. She was no longer using them and I liked the idea of keeping them in our family. They were lovely, crocheted ones that my Mom had made when I was in later elementary school or middle school. There are only 4 of them...and that was fine until I got pregnant with our 3rd child, Liam.

My plan was to knit or crochet one for him that would match sufficiently. His first Christmas I didn't worry about it and we just bought a small, simple one. This year though, I want him to have his own. First problem, I don't crochet...I've tried, but just haven't gotten good enough. Second, I couldn't find any good knit patterns that would match well enough to the ones my Mom made, and I am not a good enough knitter to adjust a pattern to work like she did(she took a pattern for crocheted slipper socks and just adjusted it). So, I started feeling frustrated! And then I remembered!!! When I was a very little girl(see above pic..I had just turned 4yrs old there), my Mom had made some other matching stockings for our family. You can see them behind me in the pic hanging on the wall.

Sewing I can do(even if still rather a novice)! So I asked my Mom what she did and she gave me the info as she remembered it and told me she'd just made her own pattern. I decided that this I could do and would do.

A couple of weeks ago I took the kids to Joann's while they were having a Midnight Madness sale and the holiday fabrics were 50% off! I told the girls to pick the fabric they would like for their individual stocking and then Liam picked his(sort of ;-). I picked mine and Dan's. You can see our selections below:




The red fabric will be used for the toes and heels on each stocking to bring them all together(much like my Mom did on hers..again see pic far above). For the girl stockings we will trim the top with lace and the men-folk's will be trimmed with one or two rows of red ric rac.

I made up my pattern today and I think it will do nicely. I look forward to beginning this new tradition for our little family(that continues to grow;-) I decided to wait to make the new wee one's stocking until after he/she is born! The girls thought this was a fine idea!

When I have completed the stockings, I will take pics and share them with you all. Hopefully this will happen soon...as I like to hang the stockings up early as decorations.

What family heirlooms or traditions have you tried to carry on with your family? Feel free to share!

Blessings,
Sommer

A Boy and His Dog

My sweet boy:-) Isn't he a doll? I must admit that this is a totally random post, about the cuteness of little boys and their dogs. Okay, Liam doesn't have a real live dog...but every boy should, isn't that what they say?

Liam has come up with the next best thing! A cute little wooden pull-dog. He was given this when just a baby(and way too little for it) and only just found the pleasures of having his dog follow him about. Today I caught him on camera giving his dog a walk...such a good boy!

I hope some day we can give our children the blessing of a pup, but for now, we will make do with imaginary and wood pull dogs. Really, I do think it is true that every boy should have his pup.

Blessings,
Sommer

Colonial Dress in Miniture

After a few weeks I am finally sharing the little doll dress I made for Miss Brenna's American Girl doll, Elizabeth. Brenna turned 6 on the 19th of October and she really wanted a new dress for her doll. Originally I was going to purchase one, but in the end I couldn't afford it. Fortunately, earlier in the year I'd purchased some fabric and trim to make a dress for the doll out of a pattern my MIL had bought for me. So out came the fabric and the sewing machine.

Seriously, it would have been a really simple thing to do if my machine didn't decide to act up and cause a headache...but, alas, my sewing machine did give me trouble and a simple project became slightly frustrating. But, after fixing the feed dogs and making my thread work for me...I completed most of the dress in time for Brenna's birthday:-) All I left unfinished was the hem and the closure in back.

I would have finished the back, but I didn't have the velcro and for some reason the closure did not meet all the way when the dress was on the doll:-/ So, yesterday I added some fabric for what I think you'd call a placket and tonight I will sew the velcro on. As for the hem, I opted to add lace(like what is on the neck and ruffles) and really like the way it turned out(sorry no pic with that right now). In the original pattern, lace was not added to the sleeve ruffles, but I liked the way it looked and it made hemming them much simpler:-)



The picture above shows the dress almost complete, minus the hem being done. I really was pleased with how this dress turned out. The only thing I'd do different would be to make sure I have matching thread(so as to hide my sometimes crooked seams ;-p) and give myself more time.



Above is the pattern I used(sorry, it is a touch blurry). It has fairly clear instructions and was pretty easy to put together. I will gladly use this again when making dresses for Christmas! I would give more info but my MIL gave it to me and I am not quite sure where she found it.

Now that this dress is done, I am looking forward to doing more sewing for Christmas and getting ready for the wee bairn that is coming in the Spring:-)

Blessings,
Sommer

My Daybook

Peggy, over at The Simple Woman's Daybook is sharing her Daybook and has invited folks to join in. Won’t you join us? Just pop on over to Peggy’s blog for the details!

For Today November 10th

Outside my window...the sun is shining and there is a crispness in the air.

I am thinking...that simply removing a little clutter from a corner can really refresh one’s spirit.

I am thankful for...a husband that loves me, children that hug me and a baby growing that I do not know yet.

From the learning rooms…we will be reading about the Pilgrims, learning about Seals and Sea Cows and enjoying numbers.

From the kitchen...leftovers and simple stuff. The cookie jar needs refilling too!

I am wearing...fleecy pink pj’s and a sweater…not sure what will be on for the day yet.

I am creating...well, needing to complete the back closure and hem of a doll dress, t-shirt dresses for the girls and little cord pants for Liam(boy is he getting tall!).

I am going...grocery shopping this afternoon.

I am reading...The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace

I am hoping...to feel the little baby soon. Maybe already have, just not sure.

I am hearing...the loud but happy voice of Liam insisting I read a book.

Around the house...I need to de-clutter a little more off of my table and organize my sewing area. I have Christmas sewing to do soon and I want everything to be easily accessible.

One of my favorite things...is the sweet kiss of a little boy that loves his mama :-)

A few plans for the rest of the week…Laundry, continued decluttering, craft plans, grocery shopping and a library run.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing…I'm afraid I don't have one today, blogger is

being weird!

Things of Note

I've made a few updates to the sidebar of my blog and thought I'd just let you all know:-)

First of all, I wanted to let you all know that Mrs. Chancey over at Sense and Sensibility has transferred several of her patterns over to e-patterns. So now you have the option to purchase the pattern and download it immediately(as well as order paper patterns)! This is just wonderful, as you can inexpensively replace patterns you may have lost and also have them in an easy, access format! All the Regency Patterns have been transferred to this and she will(as time permits) transfer all her others. I hope you will take the time to stop by and see for yourself Mrs. Chancey's selection of lovely patterns and enjoy the ease of downloading them:-) I am also pleased to be an Affiliate as I just LOVE her patterns! Please take a peek at my sidebar and visit the site:-)

Secondly, I have changed the poem in my Poetry Corner. I do hope you will enjoy it and let me know what you think. Let me know too, if this is something you enjoy on my blog. I try to update with a new poem every couple of months or so, but would like to do it monthly if time permits and if my lovely readers would enjoy it. This particular poem is by William Cullen Bryant and it is a lovely poem about mothers. I hope you enjoy.

This coming week I hope to share with you a doll dress I made for my Brenna's 6th birthday, as well as some simple Thanksgiving decorations I've made in the house. I also will share plans with you for Christmas and perhaps you all will be willing to share some of your ideas and plans for the coming holidays:-)

May you all have a blessed Lord's Day tomorrow!

Blessings,
Sommer

Lovely Post on Contentment

A friend of mine shared a link to a lovely post on contentment. Being that I sometimes struggle with this, I thought it was a really wonderful and convicting read. I hope you will enjoy it as well and be encouraged in your efforts to become more content as a keeper of the home.

Blessings,
Sommer

Week In Feminine Dress-Day 4

Well, I missed Monday and Tuesday's WIFD...but I'm here today:-) I apologize for the very out of focus picture. My dear little Brenna took the pic and it just didn't come out quite like we wanted. Oh well:-)

Today is pretty much a stay at home day. We've been doing lessons(which are just about finished), and I will be doing some ever present decluttering, dishes and laundry(fold and wash). So today I donned a black t-shirt that I bought from Target a while back and a tiered burgandy skirt. The tiers have three different fabrics and it is one my parents bought for me way back...I love it! I also have been wearing a cardigan throughout the day as it is a tad chilly today. I was hoping my socks and sandals would be missed...but alas, Brenna seemed to think that they needed to be included:-o



Hopefully, I will participate for the rest of the week...but no promises! Have a lovely day!

Blessings,
Sommer