Sesame Street Live " Elmo Makes Music"

A couple of weekends ago, Mason and I went to Des Moines and saw Elmo Makes music, along with three other moms and their boys. We had really great floor seats and Mason had a great time. He was singing along with the songs and it kept his attention for the two+ hours. I was a little worried as he doesn't watch Sesame Street as much as he did a year ago, but he still enjoys it when he does watch it. Here are a few photos taken while enjoying 'Elmo'. Note to self, I really need a new camera! Still using the model from 2000 with a whopping 1.5 MP!!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Ok, had to caption this one... this is how I found Mason at 2am this morning!! Looks like we have another 'sleep walker' on our hands, as he doesn't remember any of it!! Was too funny!!!!

Odds n Ends

A few weeks ago, we met a couple friends and their kids at the park. This old truck that they have to play on is pretty cool. Just a few photos to share... (notice that Mason and Ryan are wearing the same color shirt.. can you pick out Mason before scrolling to the other photos.. it seems the last few times we have met up with them, they are dressed alike!! Its too funny )









The beginning of May I went to Tulip Time in Pella, IA with my friend Kathi and her family. The tulips weren't really in bloom yet due to the long winter. But there were still a few beds that were pretty. I love the look of the varigated ones





So while in Pella, we stopped in a furniture store. I thought this chair was so cool looking AND comfortable! Course I didn't look at the price tag either, so the price might have told me why it was so comfy. And NO I will not be taking up another hobby of leather punching (my maternal grandmother was a big leather crafter, so I do have all her gadgets and gizmos, BUT that hobby is gonna have to wait til the kids are grown, as I don't have enought time now for the current hobbies I KNOW how to do)

Quilting

As most of you know, I dabble in quilting. I don't find enough time for it, but I do love it!!! Its so fun to choose your fabrics and your pattern and put it together to make a beautiful end product. I've been telling everyone I know, if you can sew a straight line and read instructions, you can quilt. I took my first quilt class the summer of 2003 while living in Texas, and was HOOKED!! I had not sewn a stitch since highschool home ec (10 years.. now I'm dating myself) until that class. I had to buy myself a sewing machine just to take the class. Guess I knew I was going to love it since I bought the machine BEFORE I took the class. Since then, i've made a few quilts. This is the first quilt I made. It is lap size. I still love the colors!! And it reminds me of where I started, and what I've accomplished since.

This was the last quilt I made while living in Texas. I love the colors of this quilt, and LOVE how it was quilted. The teacher of the class, actually is the one that quilted it for me. I put a flannel backing on it, and I just LOVE to sit under this quilt. Before it was quilted, I HATED it. It was all wonky and didn't lay right, but its amazing what the quilting will do to a quilt. It MAKES it a quilt.

Those are just a few of the quilts I've made. I really haven't made many. I have a long 'to do' list and patterns and fabrics picked out for quite a few. Now I just need to find the motivation and time to get them all done.

Wordless Wednesday

OK, so these are a little old,sorry. They were all taken during Christmas break 2007!!!

(Song lyrics)
'Some times I dream, that he is me. You got to see thats how I dream to be......Like Pete, if I could be like Pete'

The Circus is Here

Well, we ventured to DSM to the Za-Ga-Zig Shriners circus on Saturday. I have gone a number of times when I was younger, as my dad is a shriner. However, it has been many many years since I've gone so I had no idea what to expect. We were in there for 2 1/2 hours, which seemed pretty long so we definitely got our money's worth. All in all, it was everything I expected. Mason had a pretty good time. We went to the 9:30am show, and he was up and at 'em at 6:30am (which is quite a bit earlier then his normal waking time). So by about 11am, he was getting pretty tired. He might have been getting sick too, but since he gets warm when he gets tired, it was really hard to tell. Mallory was a very good little girl, and even took a little nap during all the noise. My parents, Aunt LeaAnn, sister Darcy and husband Pete, and then all 4 of us went. It was a fun family outing.

Mason and his noisy sword (its out in his toybox in the garage as it is a noisy thing)

Tony, Mallory, Lisa & Mason (couldn't get a photo of ALL of us looking at the camera.. Tony was looking away in the other one!! )
Added: sister Darcy and Pete (or Aunt DD and Uncle Pete to Mason ) looking at the camera (but Tony isn't.. he was really loving that circus I guess )
Mason riding an elephant with some little girl he didn't know

The view from our seat.. 2 of the 3 ring circus

Mason watching intently!!! Is it any wonder he still drools?!?!

The Tigers



The pigs (how many circus' have trained pigs?! ONLY in Iowa )

We did have a great day, and the 'boys' ended up at Priarie Meadows to bet on the Kentucky Derby. They had a great day, and the girls even beat them back to the farm!! (THAT never happens!!!) I'm sure this won't be the last circus we attend.

Bags

Tonight I'm working on finishing up a few bags. I took my first class while living in Texas on how to make a bag. After that first bag, I was hooked. This was back in 2003. I vividly remember coming back to Iowa carrying this my first purse.

My family was not impressed at all, and couldn't believe I was carrying a bag with beads on it. Needless to say, they were not asking me to make them any purses. I, however, LOVE my first purse. In Texas carrying homemade bags was a BIG deal in 2003. It wasn't until I showed my family my bag, that homemade bags started appearing more and more in Iowa. And after moving back here in 2005, and having made probably upwards of 50 bags while living in Texas, I was making bags for my family. And with that, came word of mouth and I've continued to make bags for those that request them. The possiblities are endless!! The hardest part in making a bag, is the choosing of the fabrics that suite your tastes. I don't have a hard time choosing fabrics I love, but we all have such different styles. I started out making bags using quilt shop cottons, and now I'm making most of my bags using the Home Decor fabrics (those BIG rolls of upholstry fabric you can find at Hancocks, and other fabric shops). The Home Decor fabrics tend to wear a little better and are just that much more sturdy (even though I do put interfacing in all my bags). I have so much fun picking out the fabrics and trims and putting them together. Its fun to see plain fabric combined with something with a little 'punch' turn into a beautiful bag.

This is the latest bag I've completed. It was made for my sister, Darcy. She chose the fabrics and the size. The only thing she didn't choose was the ribbon, but did tell me to do whatever I wanted to do for the 'trim'. I really like how ribbon sets it apart, yet lets it flow smoothly and doesn't stand out.

When choosing a lining, alot of people think it has to match perfectly, but they don't realize how little you really see of the lining while carrying the bag.

You like my little 'tag' that was designed by my Aunt LeaAnn? I Love the tag!!

Most of my bags are made using the above style. I have, however, made a few of another style (I'll save those pictures for another blog entry). I'm always looking for new bag patterns and styles. So if you see a pattern you like, share it with me.

Wordless Wednesday (a few minutes too late *S* )