Halloween (and preceding Halloween related events)

Arthur's Rocket Ship

Sometimes you can find the best crochet patterns just by poking around the internet. I just made this Rocket ship for Arthur by using a pattern from Bizzyboppers at Crochetville. (To see pattern, click here --> Pattern). A big thanks for posting that one!


I added the NASA logo on my own to make it look nice and official and I plan on making more astronauts and aliens as well as some planets. Arthur has been asking for a Rocket ship and I think this will work. It's pretty large, maybe 15" from end to end.


I was silly and took the photos at night though, and the lighting in my house can leave weird shadows sometimes. I'll take some better ones when I've completed the project entirely.

Finishing the Rocket and Maggie's doll leaves me totally convinced that Robin got cheated. His project took a lot less time and isn't nearly as well put together. I'll have to come up with something else to add to it so that the gifts are all fair in terms of time and quality.

A very unthrifty thrift store...

...When it comes to children's clothes that is. Joanne and I took a trip to the shiney new Salvation Army Family Store today in search of inexpensive and quickly-outgrown winter pajamas for the boys. Arthur needs them because he sprouts fast, and Robin needs them because he is six months behind where Arthur was his second winter.

I just wanted something warm and cheap. Design not important. But after picking out a few pairs of pilly and worn pajamas priced 5.99, Joanne and I looked at each other with a "huh?" look. You can get new pairs of the zippy pj's at the children's place in the mall for a buck more.
There were plenty of stray pajama pants priced .99-2.99. But zero tops.

Now the adult clothes have great prices. 2.99 for a blouse. 3.99 for a sweater. But it just wasn't a great bargain over in the children's clothing section. (We did find a few .99 cent wooden toys and a pair of boots for Robin though).

So we drove down the street to a regular retail store and picked up two packages of twin pack fleece pajamas for 9.48. That's 4.74 a brandy-new pair. 1.25 less each than the pilly, used ones at the thrift store.

Maybe that's where they make their big money..on kids clothes. But they are no bargain, I'll tell ya. I'll stick to shoes, books, and toys and skip the kid's clothes.

A familiar visit

Fun Filled Fall

I can't hink of any fall produce activities we didn't do this year!

It started with pumpking picking. We found a local farmstand with a pumpkin field in the back. With lots of options, it was difficult to decide on a pumpkin:



The boys each finally chose a pumpkin:

and we loaded up our wagon. We got a big pumpkin for everyone to share and a small one for Maggie, who was snuggled in her sling.

While Robin had a hard time getting his pumpkin in the wagon:

Arthur had no trouble pulling the wagon through the field and back to the farmstand:

Our next produce adventure was apple picking. We went later in the season then we wanted (too much work, rain, and failed yard sales to go earlier) so the pickings we slim. We needed Arthur's help to get the apples high up in the trees:

Robin found a short cut:While Maggie was again snuggled in her sling, sleeping quietly, the boys fully enjoyed the day out:

And even though they ate many of our findings:

We did get to bring some home:

Our next adventure was a corn maze. The boys got lost in the corn and played with their cousins. The adventure started by investigating the corn:

Maggie (again) slept in her sling, Robin rode in the stroller:

and Arthur walked the entire maze (he was a very tired boy later!):

While we certainly didn't win (in fact we were the last of our group to get to the finish line), Arthur did get to ring the bell:

And then we all played in the corn pit (think sandbox, but filled with corn kernels):

Even Maggie came out of her sling for some fun:

Robin was very happy to see her and couldn't resist a big hug:

Maybe if it was a 7 day weekend...

Usually when I pick patterns from books called "Weekend projects" or "Weekend crochet", I envision a couple of nights watching movies and boom! There's your project.



Maggie's doll is done...and I have to admit that I'm a pretty fast crocheter. I've been doing it more than twenty years. But this was no weekend project. I suppose maybe it could be if you didn't eat, sleep, or pee and never got off your couch for the full 48 hours. The body of the doll, plus hair took a good 8 hours. The dress took at least 6 more.



But a week or so later, and too much television...here it is. The downside is that I've realized that Robin's project didn't take me nearly as long so I'll have to make him something to go with it. I haven't even started Arthur's Rocket ship yet...ha ha ha

Maggie enjoying the presidential debate

Arthur's "bento" lunch..

It wasn't intentional, but he likes the arrangement so much that I'm kind of sticking with it. I had read about bento boxes and bento lunches from some internet mamas and while I thought it was cute, I also thought that it could get into the unpractical and expensive range if you let it. I had unintentionally used some cupcake (silicone) liners last week and then I remembered reading a magazine that suggested the cups for bento style lunches.



True Japanese bentos make use of certain ratios and balances..that I'd sure as heck not have the time for..ha ha ha. But my mock bento works, and my kid likes it, and he gets to eat his favorite things out of little cupcake cups that are reused over and over. What could be better than that?

What's in it, you ask? From left to right, like a book: Apple and cranberry crisp (from apples we picked today), whole wheat and cream cheese rounds (he is a crust eater, but for this purpose they fit better this way), rice and cheese balls (made out of...you guessed it..rice and cheese), more rice and cheese balls, sliced black olives, and tomatoes. The latter two cups will probably be the first eaten, believe it or not.

A "Raggie" for Maggie...and lots of fish for Robin..

I'm starting on some Christmas gifts for the kids. Shhhhh, don't tell them.

Late September/Early October

When you think it's over...

...you keep getting dragged back in. I have to admit that I really am flattered that the people I work with think so highly of me that they're still fighting for me.

I actually think there may be a compromise in all of this. And it could be a really excellent one for all of us. Anything is possible at this point but I'm a lot more at peace about the process for the moment.

I just want to get some sleep, though. I'm exhausted.