Progress!

About a year ago we cut a hole in the wall between our dining room and a bedroom to create an "flow" for what became a dining room/living room. 

 
We LOVE the resulting open feel, but the wall has been bare sheetrock for a l.o.n.g. time.

And, with 6 kids living in the space, the area around the opening has become more and more marred with fingerprints as time passes...  (If you click on the picture above to look at a larger version, you can clearly see 4 distinct fingerprints above J's head. LOL)

But, over the last couple of weeks Tim has worked hard to get the taping/mudding completed, and we are finally making progress!

As I sit here typing this post, Tim is working on trimming out the wall so we can paint!  I think he plans on getting the trim to complete the opening sometime this weekend as well.  Hopefully, soon I'll be posting pictures of the completed space... and maybe I'll even take time to hang the family pictures on the wall before I do! ")

Finding time

I've looked, but I don't think there's any extra lying around here...  Mostly, I struggle because I'm stuck in one or two rooms of the house all day in order to keep my oldest two on track with their schooling.  I've found if I leave the room for even 5 minutes they get totally off track and unfocused.  *sigh*  This means, I spend a lot of my time in front of the computer.  I'd love to find a useful way to spend that time on the computer, but so far not much has come to me.

One of the things I would love to find time for is sorting through my sewing "stuff", and actually using it!  Thankfully, I have been able to find a few minutes of free time here and there in the last couple of days.  Yesterday, in those bits and pieces of time, I was able to make a pouch sling to use when the baby comes.  It turned out beautifully!  The only issue is, because of my pregnant belly, I can't tell if it's big enough.  LOL  So, I guess we'll find out after he arrives!

My next project (that I also plan to work on in bits and pieces) is making some kind of slipcover for the stools at the dining room table.  The current upholstery -- even on the one I already recovered -- is totally shot because we have little kids that use the stools...  I got some great upholstery fabric (free!) from a friend and it will work great on those stools!  The biggest challenge (I think) will be creating the pattern for the covers.  I plan to make a "prototype" from scrap fabric first so I'm not wasting the good stuff.  Maybe by the end of the week I'll have some "new" chairs! ")

An ongoing project I have (that I can do while sitting in front of the computer) is a crochet hat pattern I'm working on.  I found a cute pattern, but it just wasn't working, so I've modified it greatly and I am about 2/3 done with the first hat.  There are already modifications that will need to be made, but so far, so good!

Lastly, I'm finding time to improving my typing skills by using a typing program (Typing Instructor Platinum) I ordered with our curriculum to help the kids learn keyboarding skills.  Because we are still trying to find our "groove" with the basic 5 subjects in their curriculum, I haven't yet added keyboarding.  However, I'm enjoying the "learning" for myself. ") 

I hope you are able to find time to do some things you love!

Logos Bible Software Giveaway

Logos Bible Software is having a giveaway!  Oh, how I would love to win one of the top four prizes... but even an iTunes or Apple Store card would be nice. ")

I heart Apple.

To find out how YOU can enter for your chance to win, simply click here.  Scroll down, and follow the instructions.  Simple!

Transformation

 Watching the monarchs just never gets old.  When this one emerged from it's chrysalis all of the kids got to watch.  It's amazing to watch the butterfly pulse, emerge from the chrysalis, and continue to pulse in order to "grow" it's wings.  (I learned recently that their abdomens are full of a blood pool that they use to help their wings expand.)  So beautiful!  So glad we got to watch this one... the last one emerged while we were sleeping.  We have one more hanging, and I anticipate it will emerge sometime over the weekend or early next week.

"Mom, we need this!"

These are words I generally discourage.  I've made a point to explain the difference between a want and a need.  It is important to me that my kids understand the difference.

So, in light of that, when Victory came to me today and said, "Mom, this is what we need!" I was about to launch into my typical "want vs. need" discourse when she showed me this...

Love it!

I just laughed and had to say, "You're right!  That is EXACTLY what we need!"

Swedish Weaving: Take Two

Six weeks ago I posted this about the blanket I made for Jericho.  I am happy to report that she is finally beginning to like the blanket and will actually pick it up on her own as she moves from room to room. ")

Tonight I finished my second blanket.  This one is for my niece, Summer, who was born July 1st (also Tim's birthday!) to my brother Kevin and his wife Casey.  I really like how this one turned out too.  I made a few modifications to the pattern.  Again, as with the last one, the binding was a complete pain!  I sure wish there was an easier method for sewing that stuff on.  (Maybe it's just my lack of experience, but to be honest, I'd rather not have too much experience... LOL)  If you have a blanket that needs some binding... don't call me!  ") 

I love the bright colors of this blanket, and I'm hoping Summer likes it too. ")  I'm pretty sure my brother doesn't check my blog all that often, so I think I'm safe posting this tonight... it'll still be a surprise to them when we see them tomorrow afternoon!

I wish the pictures would do the blanket justice!

Tomorrow we leave for a mini-vacation with my parents, and Kevin & Casey and their family.  I always find it a little funny that our family outnumbers the rest of them... there are 6 total, and we've got 8. LOL  I'm sure we'll have a great time.  And maybe when we get back from THIS little vacation, I'll finally get around to posting about our LAST vacation.  (It was only 6 months ago... LOL)

I hope you enjoy your weekend as well!  Now I'd better run off to bed... I've got to get up early tomorrow and get everything packed so we can get on the road!