Garden Beauty

It seems as if we are spending every lovely moment in this gorgeous dry weather.  No matter how hard I try, I cannot imagine spending these moments inside the house.  Whether I am walking with my girlfriends, sitting on the computer, playing ball with the kids I am outside at the moment.   It will end soon, and I want to take full advantage of every sunny moment.  It is a positive thing. ❤  The kids love dragging every meal outside as if we added a new playroom to the house.  These are all the new Target details I added to the terrace.  They are so pretty.  Tomorrow I am hoping to finish some pajama bottoms for Nicolas, and have a sewing day all to myself.  I hate to even mention it, because I don't want to jinx myself.

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Imagine That!

Nothing happened this weekend as planned, but imagine that?  I wanted to get a few things done, and then trace out a few patterns, bake a cake, and go on a bike ride.  I did none of the above.  I am hoping that maybe tomorrow will a bit different.  I am also planning to take a sewing day or two this week.  Enough chores have been done, and I need a break.  Of course, one of things we did "attack" today was Olivia's room.

We moved her furniture, cleaned out everything, and in the process realized that she has enough clothing for this summer.  That saddened me because I could not wait to make her a few dresses.  Oh well, time to tell my sister to stop sending me hand-me-downs.  I won't get to sew her anything, if I keep getting all these pretty clothes from Gymboree and Janie and Jack.  LOL.   Let's see what I can still stuff in her closet.  If not, I will sell it in my shop.

See the full gallery on posterous

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Easter Pretties

I just got my catalogue from Williams and Sonoma (http://www.williams-sonoma.com/?cm_type=gnav) and oh boy I could not wait to visit their website.

These pretties I am ordering for my mom who collects these old fashioned prints.

You know who this is for.  LOL......

Olivia would be tickled pink with these cookies.

For the home.....

For DH

For guests big and small.......

See the full gallery on posterous

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A few of my favorite (RED) things.....

Things that made me happy today......

- finishing my housework before noon.

- laying out a plan, gathering fabrics, notions, patterns to sew again

- sending pictures to hubby and making him smile.

- baking banana bread

- my MAC (what a great computer)!

- my camera (having this much fun with something should cost a lot more LOL)

- listening to Colbie Caillat

One of the great things about traveling around the world so much is that - besides getting to know people of lots of different nationalities - you get to experience their culture.  It is not like going on a vacation, and seeing a bunch of tourist traps, but actually getting to know their traditions, their values and how they eat and live.  That is definitely the best part of military life, and if you ever get a chance to go overseas then I say TAKE IT!   I enjoyed living in Turkey for two years.  We were not required to live on base with the other americans, and we chose not to live in the "alley" where the rest of them lived.  Instead we chose a spot next to a man-made lake, and when you looked out of the windows of our house you could see the mountains on a clear day.  There were a few american teachers, germans, and turkish people living in our area, so we were able to make friends with a wide variety of people.  The first house in our gated community (I know that sounds fancy, but all we had was dirt roads) belonged to our Landlord.  His entire family lived in the community and together they took care of the business.  Honestly we could not have asked for a better friendship then the one we had with them.  They drove me everywhere, fed  us on a regular basis (and I just love dolma) and whenever we needed someone to take care of our house, our pets, our car, they were always there for us.   We were invited to all of their parties, their boatrides and it was just great fun.  I will never forget those two years, because I enjoyed them thoroughly.  Most importantly I gained a lot of friends, and respect for the daily struggles they deal with in Turkey.  I think hubby would agree, that they are the most genuine nationality we have ever met.

Anyways, the Turkish were equally as crafted of a nation, as they were friendly.   They make wonderful wooden carved chairs and tables, bedframes, and gorgeous handsewn clothing.  They are also known for fabrics (Vakko)  and beautiful handmade carpets.   I was always busy when I lived in Turkey.  There were always so many things to see (and buy LOL).   A lot of my furniture was made there.  I would collect ideas hand it to someone to recreate.  This included my sewing room, which started off as an idea, and was then built by hand.  The above picture is one of my favorite sets of dinnerware.  Yes, they have lovely porcelain and glassware.  I bought it in Turkey.  I sold one of my Wedgewood sets to pay for this one.  I love it, and use it often for decoration.   The dishes must be washed by hand, so needless to say, I don't like to use it except on Holidays. 

Other then that, I cleaned up the house today, and quickly left myself an hour to think about my next sewing project.  Honestly, I hate sewing in the wintertime.  I don't only want to sew with knits.  I want to make beautiful things out of corduroy, wool and other fabrics.  However I always find myself clueless when it comes to the little ones.  That is why I went looking for inspiration yesterday.  The last set of ideas I posted were from a Spanish chain store called Zara.  If you have ever been to one, well let's just say your jaw drops when you walk through the door.  Not because the stores are so ultimately fancy, but because of their merchandising, the prices, and how lovely they put their ensembles together.  They give you options for every color.  The prices are incredibly reasonable, and the quality is definitely well worth the price.  I have bought several items there, and I still have them (5 or 6 years later).  Did I mention fashionable?  Very.  I believe the first store opened in NYC not too long ago, so if you ever get there take a look.  I loved their children's clothes - especially the picture of the little girl with cuffed shorts, tights and the fur vest.  So Ralph Laurenish!

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Sewing Room Makeover #5

Things that made me happy today.....

- Great lunch

- finishing this room

- finished shopping for Olivias bday

- classical music to calm my nerves

I admit, I cheated.  This picture does not show all the junk that is in my hallways and dining room that still needs to fit into this room.  However, I have decided that this is how I want my room to look, so some things must go.  I am now in the smallest room of the house, and although I now have a closet (it is almost full of fabric - SIGH), whatever does not fit, will be sold or go to goodwill.  So far, I am very pleased because all those little drawers are nicely organized, and I have managed to consolidate alot of my junk. Much needed space is still available.  Yippee.   I also painted each desk and gave it a fresh white look again.  Olivia managed to draw with marker on almost every cabinet.

A few notes...

- The paper hanging on my pegboard is medical paper.  I bought an entire box last year.

- Love the thought of looking at the newest Ottobre magazine.

- The cubbies are from Target (also available in Lowes).

- The document organizers, magazine holders, cd holders and photo album boxes are available at Walmart for $6 a piece in white and brown.  Great buy.

So, off to clean up the rest of the house, and hopefully tonight I will find some time to reorganize my drawers.  It is a good feeling to know that everything has its place, even though it took four days to get it done.

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Project Makeover

Whenever I stay away from my blog it is usually because I am working on a BIG project.  Something that is taking every inch of my free time that won't even allow me to think of blogging.

On Saturday, while sitting on the couch most of the day, I watched the kids play in their playroom.  It suddenly dawned on me how cramped they felt in that small room.  I suddenly felt a pang of guilt that my sewing room was the largest room in the house.  Of course, you can imagine what went through my mind.  So, I decided to switch the rooms, and give the kids a grand old playroom.  I even left my computer table in the room, and set it up as an ART center for the kids.  What the heck, I was not sewing much lately, so in the end what did it matter.

I am happy how it turned out, and it always makes the kids happy to find all their toys nicely organized.  I even went so far as to color coordinate their books.  It is taking me forever to get it finished, because I am determined to organize and declutter as I go.  However, it will be worth the effort.

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Life Makeovers

Things that made me happy today:

- an empty Walmart at 8am

- Tulips just for me

- a new daytimer/journal

- a positive attitude towards life

- Sunshine and warmth

- Ice cream with strawberries and blueberries

Love yourself first, and then everything else falls into line.

Lucille Ball

I am reading a book right now called Life Makeovers by Cheryl Richardson, and I highly recommend it to anyone who feels sort of "stuck" in life or as if life is just passing you by.  This is actually the second time I have read this book.  I read it once before about 7 years ago, which lead to me  to quit my job back then.  It was the right decision, one that I wanted, and everything she wrote inspired me to go forward with my decision.  Her main goal is to help you reach your inner self and to learn to take care of yourself first.   It's not arrogant, or self-absorbing or selfish.  It is a great book, and her first sentence starts out like this "How often do you daydream about living a better life....".  Believe me it only gets better.  She takes you on a journey - actually a set of weekly challenges - to find out where and what your priorities are and basically how to achieve them.  Each week she gives you some homework.  Writing down your best qualities,  and accomplishments, making a promise to spend an hour with yourself each week,  keeping a journal, and most importantly asking yourself what needs your immediate attention in your life and what you need to let go.  Very important.  She calls it her "Yes List", which you then post throughout the house.  It is supposed to remind you of your priorities at all times, so you learn to say "No" to other things.

She talks about things that "drain you".  Oh you know, the messy office, the room that needs to be cleaned, a pile of filing, phone calls you are avoiding, bills that need to be paid.   Alot of these energy drains have emotional attachments which cause anxiety for example.  She writes "I'd like you to focus on identifying and eliminating the energy drains....freeing up your energy and eliminating anxiety makes you more productive and effective at work.  Or your relationships grow stronger because you're able to be present for others.  And not only do you feel better, but you also make physical and mental space for great things to come into your life....." 

One of the most interesting chapters was about how overwhelmed most people feel  in today's modern world.  Most people feel "pressured to catch up, keep up, and stay ahead of the curve."  She claims that our society has met what she terms "adrenaline overload" and not information overload.  Very interesting.  In other words, we fuel our bodies with adrenaline, never giving ourselves any down time or rest.  We have learned to work and live at the same pace of our computers.  We have forgotten how to rest and relax, and adrenaline makes it harder to do just that.  I know that I stay awake at night with tons of thoughts and ideas about needs to get done tomorrow, and I often feel distracted throughout the entire day as if I cannot focus on anything or anyone.

That sums up my life in a nutshell.  I live on 5-6 hours of sleep.  I don't know what the word "Relax" means anymore.  I rarely ever sit in front of the tv and just do nothing.  I also realized that adrenaline has been a large problem of mine for years, and I mean that literally. I have been diagnosed with anxiety problems, and take medication for it.  So I think what she is trying to tell me is definitely worth reading.

The reason I am writing about this book is because today I wanted to go shopping by myself and relax.  I was determined to go to some more fabric stores, the mall and you know just have fun.   However I had a very very messy house.  Knowing that the house always gets me upset when it is so messy, I decided to skip the shopping.  I cleaned.  I did take the time at lunch to just sit down on the couch and relax for 30 minutes before Nicolas got off the bus, instead of not eating at all.  Hey it is a start.  A start to a new relationship with myself.  I also bought myself some lovely flowers, and although I did not finish cleaning my studio (a fancy word for sewing room/office) today, I came to realize that being a good housewife was very important to me.  I was happy with my decision.  Since financial stability is another one of my priorities, I know that I made a good decision.  Not to mention the fact that my fabric stash is somewhat of an "energy drain".  I love being able to shop in my own house, but it has gotten too big, and I am not sewing as much as I used to, which means it is not shrinking fast enough.    So of course, one of my goals is to focus on getting more sewing done.  To be continued......

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Trial Tuesday

Things that made me happy today.....

- talking to my hubby on the phone

- finding a way to manage my life

- discovering that a hat keeps me warm

- finding an hour to trace patterns

So......my hubby's company has offered him a new position this year in Dallas, Texas.  Under normal circumstances, I would be jumping up and down.  This is one of the only cities that we were seriously thinking about retiring in.  We really don't know much about the US, however we have both been there, and professionally and personally it would be a good decision.  We were planning on investing in a nice house, and retiring in it.  That was our plan.

As my mom would say, tough luck has hit us again.  The housing market in Florida is just terrible.  So, we are due to lose about $60k on this house.  Needless to say, that has me very anxious at the moment, and I refuse to take such a big hit.  I just cannot justify losing that much money.  Unlike so many others, we actually paid a large sum of this house off, so foreclosure and other options dont make much sense.  So, our options are few and none of them are good.

1.)  We either extend his year in Kuwait with another year, in the hopes that things get a bit better,

2.) We rent our house, and then rent in Dallas, which could mean losing even more money, or

3.) send him to Dallas alone, and keep the family in Florida.

Whichever way we look at it, the options are terrible.  We were told that we would get a Choice assignment if he does a hardship tour, and were hoping to get an overseas assignment.  This way we would have no housing expenses.  For some reason, nothing is available so Dallas is what we got.

If we do rent a place in Dallas, it will be very small, which means most of our furniture and goods are going to go into storage.  That just makes me feel very strange.  No sewing room.  No guest room.  Oh, how I hate life sometimes.  I know that we should consider ourselves very lucky, because so many people have been hit way harder then us.  However, nothing makes me feel better knowing that we just stepped back 15 years all because of some money hungry selfish you-know-whats.

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Less then 12 hours left.

My little Miss Olivia is sick.  She has the flu and a sinus infection or sinusitis.  So the last two nights have been very strenuous.  She stayed up coughing all night long on Saturday.  On Sunday she was running a high fever most of the night.  I finally called the doctor on Sunday night, and got her some antibiotics.    Today, she rarely coughed at all thank goodness.  In the picture above, she is wearing another pair of Ottobre Vilka pants that I recently sewed for her and the top is an Onion pattern.  I love it, and it fits better this year then it did last year.  I have been sewing, but getting nowhere fast.  I am working on a lovely nightgown for her, and I hope to have it done before Christmas.


Tomorrow, my Xmas present arrives at 9am in Atlanta.  That's right.   My hubby is on his way home.  I am sooooooooo excited (and a tad bit tired).  I am so looking forward to a relaxing Christmas break.  The house is clean from top to bottom.  I even managed to clean my dining room (don't laugh Sarah).  It is a joke.  While I have been undertaking one room after another to declutter and organize, my dining room became the home to everything that did not have a home.  After two months, you could not walk around the table.  It stayed that way for almost 5 months.  Now I think it looks fabulous, especially with my newly covered chairs.  Thanks David.

Found this lovely embroidery set for sale now on Dawanda or see more details here.  She makes such lovely embroidery designs, and I can just imagine this on some red fleece for a little girl.

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Warmth

I think this is one of my favorite pictures. I took it yesterday. The weather is cold here in Florida, only 47 degrees yesterday. My son took a moment from playing with his truck to take in the warmth of the sun. His face is full of peace and tranuqility. I love it.

Thank you for all the wonderful comments. I needed that yesterday. It always feels nice to know that others share your feelings, your worries, and that they care. I am better today. Quieter. The kids obviously knew that mommy was "Really, really mad" yesterday, so they tried to be on their best behavior. I took the time last night to sit and read a bit of my "Screamfree Parenting" book. The author always does a good job of directing me back into my chosen path. I was right, my life is over, because once you become mommy, nothing goes back to the way it was. Nothing. I felt a bit overwhelmed and anxious, and although I asked the kids numerous times to behave themselves, I was the one out of control. Today I opted to put them in time out every time they broke "the rules", and after both of them landed in the "chair", they got the point. I was not going to lose this race. I also told myself that I was piling my dishes way too high. I have to relax and realize that some things cannot be finished. Some of you may have noticed that this year I did not make an Adventswreath. This is the first time in 23 years that I have chosen not celebrate Advent with a big wreath on my coffee table. Yes, it saddens me, but I knew that I did not need the stress. I don't have to bake cookies this weekend. I can do it this week, when the kids are in school. Less mess, less stress. Instead I made brownies. The kids were just as happy, and it was less of a headache.

All in all, I had a really good day. I got to talk to hubby, who quickly reminded me that he would soon be there to help me. I felt guilty for telling him how I feel, because he noticed that I was overwhelmed. He does not need that kind of stress on top of everything else. However, he always seems to make me laugh. I feel his arms coming right through phone hugging me with every joke. I really cannot wait to see him. After the phone call, I started to clean and took the kids to play outside in the cold, but sunny weather. I also managed to clean up the garage, work on my son's Christmas homework assignment, cook dinner, bathe both children, and put them to bed on time. Now I am off to clean up my sewing room, because I want to sew this week. I want to make sure I find time for me.


Here is one more picture of another Christmas Pyramid. This is an older version, one that does not spin. However the handcrafted setting is always what gets me excited. Beautiful things always excite me.



Speaking of beautiful, here is a picture of Rebecca's house. I don't know her personally. She is another sewer whose beautiful projects I admire. I am in love with this picture. So much so I could make it the background on my computer. What a beautiful house. I thought it was worth sharing

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Christmas Crafting

I have always told myself that I would never get trendy and switch up my Christmas Ornaments every year, but both this year and last year I have wanted to change the tree from red and gold to white and gold and silver.  This year I fell in love with the Good Housekeeping spread of Green Christmas.  I just love the natural look of all that greenery around the house.  And oh the smells of a beautiful natural wreath is oh so sweet.  I think I have to hit Hobby Lobby tomorrow, or maybe Walmart.  I may have to buy some new bulbs.  Nicolas is in love with the star.

On top of that I also found some cute craft ideas to do with the kids, and I was really excited by the blog Girls in the Garden when she posted a link to the Christmas ball wreath.

Found this on Martha Stewarts site right here.

Lori posted a link to this site.

Other then that, life around our house was sort of boring today.  I  tried to get the house clean, but instead I did laundry almost all day.  I managed to accomplish alot of small things, but the general look of the house is still quite dirty.  Hopefully, we (and yes I mean the kids too) will be able to finish up the cleaning and head outdoors tomorrow.  Looking at my calendar today, I realized the first of advent was next Sunday.  OMG, I have alot to do, and so much to prepare for.  I always get excited about doing so much, until the holidays are here, and I am exhausted.  Hopefully my planning ahead will help out this year.  I think this year will be different.  Just the thought of him coming home for Christmas, sends an uplifting smile to my lips.   Yes, I am excited, and I have every reason to be.   Shhhhhh.....the kids sitll don't know.

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Reboot = Revamp

Who would have ever thought that my computer crashing would lead to a totally new sewing room makeover.  Well, the furniture is not new, but my newly organized desk space is.  In short, my computer was crashing on me daily - dumping physical memory several times a day.  I finally called my computer guy - and yes everyone should have one - and he told me that my hard drive is having problems.  Cause: overheating or age.  We came to the conclusion that it is probably overheating.  So I had to move it, and back it up, and now test run it for several days to see if the problem is resolved.  

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A So-Called Sewing Day......Alot of nothing.

I dubbed today "Jeannine’s Sewing Day", however sewing was the one thing I did not accomplish today. The first thing I did was cancel my Honda appt. because I am tired of taking care of everything else and not me. Today I had three hours of free time while Olivia was in school, and I wanted that time for moi. All I had to do was renew my business license, and I was free to sew. Well, what should have taken maybe 15 minutes, took about 2 hours in trying to find a lost piece of paper. In the end, it was right where it should be. Next thing I knew, it was time to pick up the little one, do a grocery run, and rush home to pick up the boy from school. I did manage to trace the my next pattern though, but again my day was spent taking care of house and kids. This trend is beginning to frighten me, and yet I know I cannot manage my time any better then I have been. I have a full schedule, and without the help from hubby, I just cannot find the energy to stay awake any longer then I do. So Happy Sewing to my friends, and maybe tomorrow…………

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Fall is in the air in my home!

I have been doing alittle cleaning, and little decorating. What else can you do when the weather is so bad? And I am afraid that no matter how hot it is outside, I am in the mood for Fall. It just cannot come fast enough.



While shopping on Monday, I grabbed a few things to decorate with, one being this swag that I wrapped around my hurricane candle.

I even tried to get the kids in the mood, by using my cookie cutter on their P&B sandwiches, served with an apple. Yum!

The bunk bed has arrived. I moved furniture back into the room, and now it is time to finish the curtains, put the new sheets on the bed, and finish making the pillows. We are in love.

I bought these cubbies at Target last year. They do a great job shelving all those loose small objects and books that otherwise make his room look like a mess. The green fabric bins are full of artwork, crayons and junk.

This rain is getting on my nerves now. We could not leave the house again today, due to thunderstorms all morning. One minute I am turning the lights on, and the next I am turning them off, over and over again. This kind of weather puts you in a funky mood. You just want to curl up on the couch, light a Pumpkin Pie candle, and read a book.

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On the Run

I have been running all this week, therefore the lack of blog posts. I apologize. Between soccer practice, school, sewing and being mom, there just has not been any time. Have I mentioned that Olivia started Preschool. Yes, I finally have her in a school setting three times a week, where she is learning the ABC's, her numbers and colors and shapes. She actually knows most of them, but it gives me three hours of me-time, and I will take it. She actually has alot of fun, and has not cried or thrown a tantrum yet. I hope that continues.

I finished working on several orders this week of my new Ladybug dress. I would like to start on several Christmas outfits that I have in mind. Let's just see if I am good enough to follow through with my wishlist, instead of dreaming about it. Friday was the first day I put Olivia in school, and I had all kinds of plans for that day. Instead, I stopped at a Garage Sale and bought a gorgeous french country style table. I need to sand the table top down and wax it really good to get the old effect that I am looking for, but I love the yellow finish on the legs, and I am sure it will look great in our white kitchen.

The baby outfit is one that I had made for a friend who had a lovely baby boy. I really need to do more for boys, but time.......I need more time. I have the perfect model, but need to get things done. She deserves these things, and I have not done nearly as much as I would like to. It is not easy being a single mom, and these are one of things that I often regret not finding time for. Not to mention, Nicolas' bday is coming soon, and I have not planned a single thing.

Last but not least, I received the following Cucito book in the mail. I rarely skimmed through the pages, but hopefully tonight I will get some reading done. I am off to do some other important things, so I can enjoy this weekend with my kids.

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First Day of School

Today was Nicolas' First Day of School in Kindergarten. Full of excitement, anxiety and pride I dressed, fed and put my two babies in the car at 6:55am this morning. I would love to tell you that I got teary-eyed, but to be honest I was just proud. He was excited and ready to go. No shyness, no tears, no clingyness. I felt like he was ready to take his first step into the real world, and I was ready to let him go. I knew he was in good hands, and that his day would be filled with great stories, new names, and fun. I walked him into his classroom, and he gave me a hug and said goodbye.
Together Olivia and I spent the rest of the day together. I was hoping to put her into school today, but they were full, so it was just me and her. It was nice having only one child to deal with all day. I made sure she took her nap after lunch, so I could get a few things done. I could not wait to hear from Nicolas all day. What I would not have given to take a peek through the windows.
I promised my husband that I would get pictures of him getting off the bus, so I stood outside 20 minutes early to make sure that I would not miss him. I decided to let him take the bus home, so he gets used to it. I know that none of the other parents are letting their children ride the bus, but I disagree, and if and when a problem should arise, then we will deal with it then. Confrontation is a part of life, so he might as well get used to it now. The sooner he learns to deal with confrontation, the better he will get at it. So, together Olivia and I sat on our wooden chairs outside enjoying the beautiful weather. I heard the bus down the street, about 8 minutes early, and I grabbed my camera and stood in the yard. I was ready, but I am afraid the bus was not. The busdriver did not even see me, and drove right past me. Too bad someone else was not taking the pictures, because I ran down the street after the bus. I looked right at Nicolas as he drove by, and I knew that he was probably sitting in his chair crying instead of screaming at the busdriver. I was hoping that the busdriver noticed her mistake and would make a U-turn, but that was not the case. I waited 5 minutes, and put my camera down, and grabbed the car keys to go after him. I must say I was a bit furious, because I called the Dept. of Transportation this morning to make sure that this sort of thing would not happen. Just as I drove the car out of the garage, I heard the bus coming again. Excited, I parked the car, and tried to grab my camera, realizing that I had left it inside. The moment was ruined, gone. I missed it. No matter. I hugged my son, who was not crying, and talked to the schoolbus driver who was apologizing profusely for missing the address. I don't know how they can concentrate on the driving let alone all these new addresses. That is one job that would give me a headache and a heart attack.
So, my firstborn is home safe and sound and happy. So is his mommy. What a great day!
So I finished sewing a skirt for my sewing table today. Yes, I really organizing the house. Although it is very frustrating not to be able to sit down and sew, it is also a great feeling knowing that everything has a place. No more junk drawers. No piles of paperwork. No ribbon here, and elastic there and there. I have managed to clean, and reorganize three out of four rooms. The last one is my sewing room. That will be the hardest. BTW, this is the armoire that I want to paint. I cannot decide whether red, green or yellow. I am thinking red.

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