Road trip part 1: Shopping and Sleeping-ish

Me, Mom and Wee hit the road Tuesday morning for a little Fall break road trip. Our only plan was the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta on Wednesday, everything in between was just gravy. Mom and I have been having official "road trips" every year since 2005, but this was Wes's first go. Needless to say things were a bit different with an almost 3 yr old in tow.

First big difference, you do not "make good time" when a certain somebody has to potty every hour and a half...... Second difference, conversation is really hard when the kid in back is wanting someones attention at all times. But that's okay, the trip was for her and we had an iPad chocked full of princess movies.

So our first adventure was the outlet mall in Leeds, AL. This was Wes's first real experience with reasonably priced retail and I thought she took it very well. She ended up with a new fall wardrobe, fall boots, and a fairy costume. Mom stocked up on audio books and stocking stuffers, I found...glasses(outlet shopping fail). In all fairness we did really need new glasses.

Wesley especially loved entertaining the young ones at the play area. Meet the three year old girl version of Charlie Chaplin. Once she figured out falling over made people laugh it was on.

 

Then we attempted a few planks.

The last one is my favorite, love that arabesque.She gave up on planking and decided just to sit pretty. I came up with several captions for this, but none are appropriate. Think Austin Powers.

We headed out for dinner next, but not before we had our new boots on!

After dinner we powered through rain, construction and darkness to make it to Atlanta to check into our hotel. Mom and I couldn't wait to get some rest. Wesley immediately changed into her new fairy costume and politely asked if we would turn on the "Pointer Sisters" so that she could have a dance party.

We finally all fell asleep around 11pm. But have no fear we did not oversleep the next day. Wesley was up and ready to go at 7am EST, because she knew we were headed to the aquarium! She had on her clothes and make up before I even had my contacts in!

We headed to the aquarium soon after and our story continues there........

October Designs

I started blogging as a public platform for my sewing, but I haven't been posting about sewing. My bad. I do sew, almost everyday, but then more important, exciting, fill-in-the-blank things happen and I blog about that instead. And since I don't even blog about all the things we are doing, sewing posts fall by the wayside.

To rectify this, for now, I thought I could put together an October applique montage.

Here is a three pumpkin design I did for an adorable little boy that belongs to one of Matt's coworkers.

I thought it turned out great! I loved being able to use three separate fabrics for the "orange" pumpkins. I mean we all know how much I "love" orange (bluh) so I am I always looking for a way to take that lovely color down a notch.  All kidding aside I do love to work with fall colors, they all play off each other so nicely....almost like someone designed it that way in nature or something.

Next I did a simple pumpkin design for a friend who wanted to be able to attach the design herself to a jumper. The thought being that she could then switch it out for another seasonally appropriate design later. One jumper, multiple seasons. Genius! That is why I did this one on felt and then cut it out. The curly cue vine may get sacrificed, as I'm not sure how to cut that out anymore.

And finally I made my own child a pumpkin that she could really appreciate. Cinderella's pumpkin carriage!

I altered this design a bit from it's purchased form. It had a window in the middle, which I deleted because I wanted her initial on the carriage and it didn't work on top of the window.

** Side note, most of Wesley's things only get a W not her monogram. I am not against monogramming. Quite the opposite. I just gave my child the worst possible combo for a monogram W's are wide and her middle name starts with an E which is skinny. So when you try to place it you've got a wide, swoopy W in the middle and another one on the left, then this skinny little E on the right. It looks completely unbalanced and so I always end up deleting the other letters. I am on the lookout for the perfect monogramming font that doesn't have the swoop OR makes a "fatter" E.

Back to the design, the wheels could have had fabric in them but I left them blank. My reasoning being it already had four different fabrics working and sometimes perfectly cute appliques are ruined by one wrong fabric choice. It is harder than you think to find 4 or 5 adorable fabric prints that coordinate perfectly! I have learned to err on the side of caution and incorporate solids and simple prints like dots or gingham. But then I see designs online with mixed prints that turn out so great?!?! Maybe I'll get better with time. My favorite is when people (Beka!) just give me fabric and tell me exactly what they want, then I don't stress about my fabric choices.

To wrap up, here are some pictures of my favorite model in her new fall shirts, ready for Crimson Tide domination and going to the ball!

Happy Fall Y'all!

Lawyered

I've often told my lawyer friend that we think Wesley may grow up to be a lawyer, because she "lawyers" us daily. Was that enough lawyers in one sentence? Anyway, she asked me for an example, and of course at the time I couldn't actually think of one.

See, Wee doesn't argue like a normal 2-3 year old (so far). No screaming tantrums (yet). No flat out saying "no" to Mom and Dad (up to now). Her favorite words are "maybe" and "I was just....." Lawyer.

So here is an example that happened today.

We were on a walk and I was addressing Wesley's recent penchant for arguing. We talked about how if Mommy or Daddy says "no," we don't need to discuss it anymore. I told her we were adults, and children do not question or argue with adults. I asked her if she thought she was being a polite princess when she argued. I mean, do princesses fuss at their parents?

Her response:: "Ariel told her Daddy no."

Lawyered.

She's not even 3 yet.  Crap.

Retail Therapy

I've been feeling kinda run down lately. Maybe it's the busy schedule, the bouts of illness, the non stop work thing, having an almost three year old, I don't know. What I do know is I have not been myself because I am just too tired to sparkle (that's for you Jenny.) But I need to snap out of it. Thursday I did not have to work late, rare,  so I treated myself to a little retail therapy. Did I hit up the Loft? Old Navy? Target? all good choices, but no. I went to my old standby--the Goodwill. I adore goodwill shopping. It is like treasure hunting with the added bonus of being cheap!

Today the folks on Austin Peay Hwy did not disappoint. In fact it is one of my best trips ever.

When I go in I always start with furniture. You never know what piece you may find. One time they had high heel shaped chairs! No such luck today. Then I move over to knick knacks. If we learned anything from last weekends yard sale it was that I need more knick knacks. I had an adorable ceramic pumpkin in my cart when I realized Matt may stop speaking to me if I buy more seasonal decorations that live in the attic most of the year. So I moved on to the books. I racked up! Children's books are expensive, so between using them on a daily basis for my classroom and having a well read child we shell out a lot. Today I found 10 books including an Elmo book, 5 hardbacks, and an Eric Carle! They were .10 a piece!

Next I swung by the belts, as they are a very fashionable accessory right now. I looked at several at J. Crew and Loft a month ago but couldn't bring myself to pay $30 for something I may or may not throw on at the last minute. Goodwill saves the day again. A new brown belt for $2!

On a roll! Time for clothes. 2 new pairs of black work pants, and new (still with tags!!) gray leggings for fall! For Wesley I found a fleece bathrobe for winter, a Christmas dress with sweet Scottie puppies on it, a "Belle" dress up dress, and a jean skirt!

But the coup de grace of the day....A barely worn Columbia Vertex Bugaboo ski coat. Retail approx. $200! I paid........................wait for it..............................................SIX DOLLARS!!!!!

And it's red, my school color! So all those mornings in the winter, when I am standing outside in the freezing cold welcoming the little darlings to school, I will be warm,toasty and school spirited!

The trip to Goodwill did the trick. I had 2 bags of goodies and all for a whooping $37! I feel better all ready.

Wordless Wednesday

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Don't slow down

Anyone else feel like life has just ramped up lately? No time to sit still? Just wondering.

Since I last blogged we have been to the school dance,  zoo, I've had a viral stomach infection (as awesome as it sounds), I went to a training session at the Brooks, we made new friends, I went to a workshop at U of M, Blue Angels air show, celebrated a princess turning 4, warmed the new home of great friends, may have "joined" ish a church and generally lived life.

And go:

Perfect Zoo Day 9.10.11

My little toucan with the toucan

Wesley with Lola the Boa Constrictor

We are experimenting with our faith at an early age

Feeding the "lellow" bird

I will spare you the details of the next adventure, but let me say I do not recommend it.

I was picked up by a workshop at the Brooks museum I got to go to last Wednesday. Yes, I am a nerd. But seriously I loved it. It was all about this new way to teach kids how to think. Literally, there is a whole movement about how to make children learn how to be better at thinking. Turns out teaching to a standardized test for 30 years has produced a work force of people who cannot take initiative or critically think things out for themselves. So now we have new strategies to help kids think for themselves. It's called VTS. And I know you don't care, so I won't tell you how to do it. But I have used the strategies every day since then with every grade I teach, works every time. IT. IS. AWESOME. The end.

So as I'm typing all this I am realizing it is already past 10, and I have like 8 more events to go so FF...

Dinner with new friends, Wesley has two adorable girls over to play for the first time. She's wondering where play dates have been all her life.

Workshop 2: Orff Music=Wonderful. Nerd.

Blue Angels. Matt only. Super sunburned. Worth it.

Princess party, Madison turns four. Four I say. Remember the time she was born and I was there. Wesley was in heaven!

I loved this one, all the little princesses watching the blue angels fly over!

Happy new house Cliff and Stephanie!!

Yea new church (more to come)

THE END (10:17)

Catch up

So I have been a little under the weather this week and could not muster enough energy to put together a coherent blog post. But life is rushing by me so I wanted to get a few things out. Sorry that they are random.

Since the shower we have not stopped. Mostly because of my work, but there has been a little fun in there too. I have and will continue to have some night commitments at school. Tis the season of open houses,book fairs, meet the teacher, PTA meetings and back to school dances. So here are a few school funny updates.

K student upon visiting my room on open house night "I believe I am scared of the gong"
Me "Oh, because it is loud?"
K "No, I haven't heard it yet, I BE-lieve I am scared though."

SAME KID

"What number is that?"
Me "I don't know what is it?"
K "4"
ME "No, that's a 3"
K "Oh, I'm 4"
Me " When is your birthday?"
K "Becember"
Me "December is my birthday month too!"
K "I said BE-cember"

And scene.

Last week I ran by K-Mart for their end of the season sales. The have the Martha Stewart patio collection so I thought I might pick some stuff for our backyard. What I found was a plastic picnic table for $12! Retail $30! Isn't it cute?!?!

 

It better be! It has 48 individual screws and nuts. Anyhow, I didn't think much of it. Just a handy thing to own if you have kids, you know a cute place of their own when we eat out back or have other kids over. Well, I was pleasantly surprised at how much Wesley adores this table! She thought it was the best idea ever. She wants to eat every meal there. She also, like every other 2 yr old in the world, found the box highly entertaining.

 

Labor day weekend we randomly decided to jump in the car and run down to the beach for a quick getaway. We made this decision on Monday, then Friday night we trekked to our favorite spot-- Seagrove Beach! We have been every year since 2006. It is always gorgeous, never over crowed. But we always go in June. Well, it still isn't crowded in September, but that could have been because of Tropical Storm Lee. Yes, we were bright enough to plan a beach getaway last minute WHILE the newscasters were telling us the Gulf was getting hammered with rain. We were sure we would get some sun. Um, none. Not one hour. At least we had a gorgeous view of the double red flagged ocean. And we ate really really well.

 

Oh well. We had great company and we had a lovely weekend relaxing and listening to the waves. We were due for  bad weather right?!?!? But Seagrove let me warn you...... June 2012 better be different!

So that's my horrible, random, rambly catch up. Hopefully this sinus infection will clear up soon and we will do something more exciting that I can blog about.