Momma and Baby

Momma with the new little guy.

Hope Chests and Home Management

There is a GREAT blog about the top 10 home management problems and the solutions. I highly encourage you to check it out! I wish I could take credit for this. It seems SO SIMPLE, yet I still didn't think of it on my own! And while there, check out this awesome article on teamwork! This is one to print out for your HomeManagement Notebook!

She also has a great three part series on Hope Chests:
Preparing your Hope Chest
A Legacy of Love to Pass on to Your Daughters!
May Your Hope Chest Be Filled With Hope And Wisdom

What's in a Number?

This is WAY too cool.

What's in a number?

Too bad I am no longer pregnant, otherwise I could be a "6" too. I am curious what my girls will come up with!

Make A Book

So I had asked (and didn't get any answers) on a cheap source for books that my daughter can write in (she loves making up stories). Well, while searching for information for making rag rugs for the TOD-KAH book , I came across think link for homemade books! I am so excited as these look so easy to make, and I know that my 6yr can make them herself (once we do one together). She can now have LOTS of books!!! I am so excited!!!

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT! Baby JJ

Personal information has been removed to protect privacy. The birth announcements were printed on wallet sized cards so they could be kept in the wallet!!

Free Patterns (sewing)

Some people are addicted to collecting fabric. I am addicted to collecting free online patterns.

I am sure everyone know about the ABOUT.com site and the free patterns. And of course there is always the brand name stores and their online freebie patterns. But I had not seen this one from Bella Online before, so I thought I would share it here. Some things I had never seen before (like the purse you can make out of an old bra) as well as some most of us have (like the quillow aka stadium/car blanket).

I am not sure WHY I am online right now (especially considering this baby could come any minute), except it is an addiction. I love finding things for FREE! Especially things that people are charging SO MUCH for!

Also, if you are interested in making your own cloth diapers, may I direct you to Crystal's blog? She just made some for her daughter, and gives some great tips. Now, of course I have never sewed these, nor have I ever sewed anything with elastic! But still, the free pattern collector that I am, I could not resist collecting these patterns! Be sure to scroll down on her blog to see the pictures of how they look (way too cute!). She also has lots of great recipes and articles (things like hair care and such). Her blog is one to add to your favorites as well as get as RSS feed for!

And one not to miss. Placemat Purse! I LOVE finding new ways to use old things! If you have any links for ways to turn "trash to treasure" please do share them!

Crocheted Rag Rugs and Other Fun Things to Make

I like to collect everything I need before starting the unit. One of the projects is making a crocheted rag rug. And since I prefer a FREE pattern over one I have to pay for, I went searching on the web. Below are some free pattern links, along with a few fun projects I found along the way (as you are supposed to also find a few fun projects to make).

I am also supposed to find a pattern for a doily, but all the ones I found looked REALLY complicated. Does anyone have a free online pattern for an EASY doily pattern (for a beginning beginer)?? I would also like to find a pattern for a really nice table cloth for a round table. Anyone have a nice one?

RAG RUG LINKS:

Make a Crocheted Rag Rug from DIY Network

Round Crochet Rag Rug from Ruby Glen (turning old jeans, sheets, etc. into rag rugs)

Crocheting with Fabric from About.com (how to make fabric strips AND a free patterns for an oval rug)

Snowman Rug

Tresa's Butterfly Rag Rug

How To Make Rag Rugs (and hats too)

Crocheted Sunbonnet Sue Lil Rug

Watermellon Rug (I remember these!!)

OTHER fun crochet things I found:

FREE Crochet Lessons

This site has a bunch of ideas (included crochet rag rugs) for decorating the home

Water Bottle Holder 01 and 02

Katrina's Kids Tic-Tac-Toe Pouch

Maple Leaf Luncheon Set, 1946

BEAUTIFUL Field of Daisies Bedspread, 1948

Baby 5Piece Set, 1952

Swatchies (wonderful way to use those swatches you make)

Crochet Basket

Misc Kitchen Projects

I hope that you enjoy these!

GREAT Books to Suppliment TOD-KAH

I have been wanting some of these titles for quite a while to add to my TODKAH curriculum. And now at THIS PRICE ($80 worth of ebooks for $24.97), you can afford it! (I have ordered from this company before and been VERY pleased with their customer service. The only book I have actually had time to read, which I ordered months ago, is calling Thriving On One Income. It is a WONDERFUL book!).

Several other titles included in this book special that I will be including in the TODKAH curriculm (as most of the books she has listed are out of date OR she didn't know about THESE ones):

The Merchant Maiden (Year 6 - Home Business)
How To Start Your Own Business (Year 6 - Home Business)
Home Grown Business (Year 6 - Home Business)
Momma's Guide To Growing Your Own Groceries (Year 2 - Gardening Vegetables)
Thriving On One Income (Year 5 - Family Finances II)

Of course she has LOTS of other things I want (that I need to save up for). Be sure to check out her WHOLE store! And I must admit that I am so wanting that modest swimsuit pattern she has! (We will be using it for year 2 - Sewing For Yourself). It is the nicest one I have seen (that is modest but doesn't make you look homely). She also has patterns for kids and children!!! I am "sew" excited! LOL!!!

Please know that I am not getting anything for sharing this info with you. I have not signed up for the affiliate program (which gives you money for each referral where someone buys a book). I just really think this is a GREAT deal, and a GREAT site run by a WONDERFUL SAHM. I used to be very into buying from ebay and half.com, but I have lately been convicted about supporting other women who want to stay at home and have a home business. Supporting them keeps them in business.

(update on me: still no baby. 70% effaced and 4 cm and WAITING )

You Have to See It to Believe It

OK, now I am TOTALLY amazed that this can even be done, but what a GREAT idea! I love finding new uses for old things.

This is a post about using plastic bags (you know, from the grocery store) and CROCHETING them to make a beautiful handbag!!!

AMAZING!

Now, I don't know how to crochet, but that is one of the things to learn. I think year one of TODKAH is knitting, so I will prolly be learning that first. I found a friend to teach me to crochet, but she is sick right now. So it works out for the best right now. I will definitely save this pattern for making bags. Maybe even teach the older girls at church (once I learn how to).

A Cool Idea (and update on me)

With identity theft on the rise, this is a GREAT way to use those credit cards! If you have a guitar player in the house, be sure to check it out! (Side note: my husband just suggested pinatas for all those credit card applications - Cinco De Mayo is tomorrow! - I bet you could also do paper mache (sp?) and paint it anytime of the year).

I am sorry that I have not been posting much personal and how our homeschooling is going. Baby is past due and I am still nesting and finding things I want done before baby is born. Plus I have been trying to spend a lot more time with the children, as I know once baby is born, it will be a few weeks before they have as much of me.

I have also been collecting ideas for the girls to do while I am resting and they are in Daddy's care (and it seems Daddy just came up with one, making a pinata).

The girls are WAY too cute! I absolutely LOVE being a mom! It will be interesting having a BOY in the house (well, I would say two boys, but Daddy is a man).

Thanks to all of you who are praying. Everyday I have more peace about the baby. But I still worry about who will watch the girls when I go into labor. especially if it is at night. I have people who have said they will if I can't find anyone else, but I hate to ask of people like that. And the one who was our constant (she even spent the night here a few times because I thought I might go into labor), she is leaving on a women's retreat tonight and won't be back until late Sunday (available on Monday). We have friends who live about an hour away who are such servants and have said that they will come and get the girls for us, but I worry about what happens during that hour that they are driving here (I have never met such SERVANTS before - I am learning a lot myself about being a servant for the Lord from them).

Anyways, your prayers about that would be greatly appreciated. As well as prayers for an easy and healthy delivery.

THANK YOU!

Children's Bloomers and Dresses

So, now I am interested in the sewing part, but only because I came across the CUTEST picture of a pillowcase dress.

So I went searching for free patterns and found some. I am looking specifically for t-shirt dress and pillowcase dress (as well as similar ones). I want easy to make (inexpensive) dresses for my girls. With the prices at thrift stores getting higher and higher (as well as people charging WAY too much at garage sales for used dresses), I am thinking of making my own. I have not found a pattern for the t-shirt dress yet. Anyone have any other free patterns?

Some FREE patterns for pillowcase dress links:
http://www.sew-whats-new.com/sewing/pillowcasedress/instructions.shtml
http://www.sewbeautifulmag.com/corrections/1998dress.html
http://www.andersonsplace.net/sewing/pillow_case_dress.htm

Turns out that Martha Stewart has a really cute pattern in her Spring Kids issue (2001??). A lot of people have been trying to get a copy of this magazine through ebay just for this pattern alone.

I also came across this one for bloomers:

http://home.aol.com/ilove2lace/bloomer.html

Anyways, I hope you are able to use these and I look forward to seeing what you have to share! Feel free to share more bloomer patterns (or even NIGHTGOWN patterns - I would love to have some of those too).

Crocheting vs Knitting

So in the TODKAH book, it has to learn knitting first. I have recently checked out a book Mary Frances Knitting & Crocheting Book after reading a review by a fellow homesteading blogger (can't remember who). In the book, it starts with teaching crochet instead of knitting. It explains that because ccrochet is just a bunch of knots, it is easier to learn. So, I figured I could switch Knitting I with Crochet I. That is the GREAT thing about buying TODKAH on CD. I can print out Crochet I and put it in the first year notebook.

I have decided to create a notebook for each year. Right now, because I am currently in year one, I am printing out one section at a time and putting it in the notebook. I have printed our the Gardening (which I totally changed the lessons because the All New Square Foot Gardening is so different than the original that the lessons didn't go with the book anymore - I will post my revised lessons sometime soon) and the GodlyWomanhood sections. Now instead of the Knitting I section, I am going to print out the Crochet I section.

So yesterday, I bought a crochet hook for myself and for my daughters. I went to work following the directions in the Mary Frances book and made my first chain! The girls were SO EXCITED to see the hooks and yarn and they really want to learn. I am not sure about the younger two (ages 3yr and 4yr), but I am pretty sure the 6yr can pick up on it.

I still have a LOT of practice to do. I am so used to cross-stitch and making everything so tight that it is difficult to make loose chains. I also am having difficulty with knowing exactly what loop to go through so that I am making a square and not a triangle (which is the direction I used to head in when I would try to crochet before). So far I am really enjoying learning through the book (although I must admit that there is a section in the beginning of the book that I don't like where the actions and attitudes of a character are not appropriate).

And even though the younger ones might not be able to do anything yet, I know that just by having the hook in their hands, that they will eventually be GREAT at crocheting.

Fashion and Following The Savior

There is an EXCELLENT new blog (well, new to me) called Girl Talk. I HIGHLY encourage you to check it out. I must admit that I didn't check it out myself at first because I thought it was for young girls (and not married women with children). But the Fashion series they wrote intreguided me enough to take a peak. This is a blog NOT to be missed and to add to your blog feeder (to keep updated when they update).

Here is the first in their 7 part series on Fasion and Following The Savior.

If you have daughters, may I encourage you to check out the link on the left hand side about training daughters .

Girls Will Be Girls

I am not sure how many of you read stuff by the Pearl's. I know that there are some things that a lot of people take issue with, BUT I do encourage you to read their stuff about chores and children. I also have learned a lot about allowing girls to be girls.

They have a LOT of stuff about allowing boys to be boys. I always wondered why there was really nothing about developing girls into girls (it is probably because girls are so apt to follow Mommy in everything that they automatically learn and become like their Mother - however good or bad that may be).

Well, I forgot what I was reading or watching or listening to, but Mr. Pearl mentioned that while he was in the barn showing the boys how to do something boyish, the girls were in the corner setting up a table with a tablecloth and such.

I thought what a great idea! So I brought out some cheap blankets I had made when I was practicing making hems. I also brought out a table. The girls each have their own tea set (yes, they are plastic right now, and we don't use real liquid, but I am thinking once they turn 7, they will get to use Momma's tea set). They have been happily busy putting table cloths on the table and setting up parties for their babies and each other.

I also started taking them out with me to help me buy flowers for the dining table. I cannot tell you how much JOY it brings them to help set up the home!

And it has been nice for me too. It is much easier to keep the dining room clean when you have a beautiful bouquet of flowers on the table encouraging you! Almost like Flylady's shiny sink! And it encourages the girls to clean too.