Give the Cat a Name

Let's face it, I am pretty emotional.  :)  I like to think it's because I am passionate...  I cry when I'm sad, yell when I'm mad, scream when I'm scared, and sing when I'm happy.  Well, yesterday was no exception.  I cried at the strangest things and just wanted to get swallowed up in my blankets until the day was over.  Nothing was right.  My toes still hurt from stubbing them twice and dropping a really heavy chair right on them.  :(

Today was different.  I didn't cry once.  I laughed and sang.  

First, I did a craft with my sister-in-law (sister-in-heart), Tasha.  It was fun, easy, and so nice to start the day doing something creative.  Then a bunch of us went to the zoo, which is always a good time... :) But the part I will remember the most?  Anthropologie with Cheryl.  :)  *I laughed until I cried!*  Just looking at the beautiful things made my heart flutter with happiness.  And the fact that Cheryl loves it just as much as I do... Well, I knew there was a reason we were sisters.  haha!  While there, I spotted this...

(Except it was the most beautiful royal blue you have ever seen.  The leather was soft as silk.  It gave me butterflies. ... So did the $350 price tag.  Ha!  Well, add that to my list of favorites.)  Speaking of favorites, here are a few more of mine...  (my "someday" purchases)...

Saddle "Running" Shoes

(Anthropologie.com)

Happy Face Ping-pong Paddle

(fredflare.com)

"Camera" Camera Case

(fredflare.com)

Nerd Shirt

(Etsy: theboldbanana)

Breakfast at Tiffany's Pillow

(Etsy: regansbrain)

The Cutest Little Girl's Easter Dress Ever

(pinkmarie.com)

"Tree of Life" Necklace

(Etsy: burnish)

Wish Bone Necklace

(Esty: Popsicledrum)

That is definitely not "it", but that's it for now.  :)  It's like Tiffany's... 

Holly Golightly: You know those days when you get the mean reds?
Paul Varjak: The mean reds, you mean like the blues?
Holly Golightly: No. The blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?
Paul Varjak: Sure.
Holly Golightly: Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that'd make me feel like Tiffany's, then - then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name! 

It's like Tiffany's.  :)

Not If, But When?

Why do we have to treat each other so poorly?  As human beings, why can't we accept each other... differences included?  Maybe it's because I have stubbed my toe one too many times today or because, even though my house is really clean, Lily said it smells funny (she doesn't like Pinesol apparently), but after today's episode at Dollarama, I have had enough!  Lily, Lexi, and I went out looking for some craft supplies (which we ended up not finding) and headed over to the dollar store afterward.  Man, was it busy!  Lily found what she wanted and so did Lexi, so we headed to the check-out.  The lines were monstrous, but we tried to pick the one that looked like it would go the fastest.  We really weren't in any rush, but as many of you know, having a 2 year old (who doesn't listen very well lately) in a dollar store is like... well, it's not pleasant.  (This story is getting way toooo long)...
There we were, excited about our bow and arrow purchase and there was a cute older couple in front of us.
By the way they were dressed, I guessed they were Hutterites or Mennonites.  They had a basket full of boxes of mints.  It ended up being about 100 single packages of mints.  I knew it was going to take some time to ring it all through and I wasn't excited about it, but I just tried to keep the girls' minds busy so they didn't go crazy waiting in line.  The man and woman were very friendly and chatted with us a little.  They both had such sweet countenances.  I almost wanted to invite them to go to lunch with me, but... you know.  Anyways, the cash clerk started ringing in their purchases and realized that the boxes didn't have bar codes on them and that she would have to scan every one.  Well, the line behind me did not like that at all.  They kept saying things about how long this was taking and why in the world was she scanning each one.  Working in retail myself, I knew that each flavour of mints probably had a different code and this was needed for inventory purposes.  And since each box had different amounts of each flavour, they had to be opened and counted.  Anyways, the other customers became quite loud in their comments and they became more rude each passing minute.  Soon they were making fun of how many mints were being bought and ridiculing the clerk for scanning each one.  The poor older couple were so embarrassed.  The clerk was embarrassed.  And I was getting madder by the minute.  I wish this story would turn into one where I am the heroine, but I am ashamed to say it does not.
Anyone who knows me well, knows I hate confrontation.  I end up getting flustered and saying things I shouldn't.  Sometimes I even cry, so I try to avoid it at all costs.  Even when the woman bought baby powder (after the mint transaction) and the others in line started commenting on how her husband only pays for his own stuff, I didn't say a word.  I was thinking that since the couple were probably from a community of people, they were buying the mints for everyone, and the baby powder was for personal use, so obviously they wouldn't pay for it with the same money that bought the mints.  But, still I didn't say anything.  I just gave dirty looks.
I was shocked and upset and hurt.  The poor woman was so flustered that she left without her change and the clerk had to call her back to give it to her.

I am most disappointed in myself.  How could I not protect this couple, who made me feel so good by being so kind and friendly to me.  In reality, I know I would have said something I would regret, but I regret saying nothing more.  I try to be better everyday.  I set goals and work on things I know I am not good at.  I try to develop patience and talents to bless the lives of others, but when it really counts, I let myself down.  In this case, I let everyone down.  I could have taken the opportunity to swim against the current and show what it means to have Christ-like love.  This experience has taught me a lot.  Hopefully, next time (because I know there will be a next time) I will have the courage to be the person I expect of myself.  The road seems really long...  The question isn't If  I will become that person, it's WHEN?  (And now I have to go "work" on patience).

I Spy, With My Little Eye....

This past week was spring break!  Yay!  We got to do a lot of fun things together, but the highlight of the week was the Glenbow Museum.  There are so many things to look at, touch, hear, and even smell!

There was so much to do and see.  We haven't even skimmed the surface!  

PS> Sorry about the array of pictures...  (I was having way too much fun using Picnik today!)

Sunny Spots on a Rug

So, the weather forecast for Saturday is.... snow.  I am really not excited about it, so that is all I will say about it.

INSTEAD, we are trying to celebrate the spring-like feel that is in the air today.  It is so sunny and bright.  I just want to lay in the warm patch of sun on the rug and have a nap.  How wonderful does that sound?  Too bad I have two very energetic and silly girls...  Seriously, the majority of sentences out of Lily's mouth start with, "Mom, just pretend...."

So, we went to the dollar store to try to find a fun spring craft idea and we found the cutes little wooden bird houses.  Here we are painting them bright spring colors...

We also got fake birds to go into them, so they can be hung in the girls' rooms.  

Here are Lily's Humming Birds...

This is Lexi's "Red Bird"... 

This project was so fun.  The girls worked for over an hour painting their bird houses. 

Here are the finished products...

I know they are the sort of thing only a child and her mother could love... but I do.  :)

We also got to take a trip to Grammie and Papa's house a couple weeks ago for my birthday!  It was so nice to be with them.  We ate way too many Crave cupcakes, did a little shopping, and played the Xbox Kinect.  My dad even made me his famous baking powder biscuits.  (They are the best... Maybe that is why I am such a snob when it comes to pilsbury...)  :)  Grammie and Auntie Cheryl made all the kids play dresses and crowns.  Grammie even got special dress up shoes from the Disney store.  The girls loved them!  They can't wait to go back and wear them for one of Grammie's special Hot Chocolate parties.  Here are some photos of the trip...

The funnest moments there were watching Lily, Grammie, and Auntie Kathy dancing with the Kinect.  Haha.  I wish I could share the video, but if I did, I would have to go into hiding.  :)

Oh, and my song-of-the-"springish" is Gene Kelly's "Singing in the Rain".  (Because, instead of snow, I wish it would rain).

Goofballs and Googley Eyes

If I could relive moments... This would be one.

One of my greatest regrets in life is forgotten memories.  So many days fly by without notice... It has been 22 days since my last post....  

After getting home from delicious birthday dinner at Nana and Crampa's house, we got the girls ready (and into) bed.  BUT... somehow I got talked into letting the girls watch one episode of the Berenstain Bears.  "Fine," I said.  "But then it is right to sleep!"  (Yeah, and the girls were thinking "Sucker!").   

Taylor and I were watching a movie in the family room at the same time.  Well, I don't know if they heard the crinkle of the paper or smelled the tasty smell of goodies, but no sooner were the treats opened that Lexi was sneaking out to get baby handfuls of goodies.  She tried so hard not to be seen (which is pretty much impossible when you manage to dump the whole bag of chips on the floor).  We could barely hear the instructions Lily gave her before she left... "Be quiet Lexi.  Don't let them hear you."  

Just at that moment, with Lexi in her fleece-footed jammies and Lily whispering ways to not get caught.... I wanted to freeze frame right there.  They are so big already.  They can't get any bigger, can they?  I want to freeze the moments when I get to pick them up and kiss their "owies" and the moments when I ask them if they know they are beautiful and they answer with a confident "yes".  

I don't want to forget them....  These little girls who are sure to disappear far faster than I am ready to let them go.  I feel like I am going to wake up tomorrow and Lily will be getting her driver's license.  

We were able to go to the dinosaur museum in Drumheller for family day.  It was even better then I thought it would be.  We asked Nana and Crampa to come with us at the last minute.  The fact that they were there made it even more of a cherished memory.

I would apologize for the amount of pictures to come, but this is why I started the blog, so I won't.  :)

(This is now one of my favorite pictures of Lily with her Nana).

This is us at what I like to call the "two-and-a-half-hour-restaurant"!

It was a good day and that museum is truly a place that captures the imagination of children and adults alike.  I included the picture of the T-Rex because, in grade three, I went on a sleep over there with my class and I got to sleep right under the T-Rex's head!!  I went to sleep looking up at its teeth.  That is one experience I have never forgotten.  I am not sure why.  I even got a little misty eyed just standing in that spot again.  I have come a long way since my grade three field trip, but I hope that some of the innocence and imagination of  that girl are still a part of me. 

So, thank-you Taylor, Lily, Alexis, Nana, and Crampa, for a memory I can enjoy for years to come.  Thanks for getting there early with me so that we didn't have to walk 3 miles to the entrance.  Thanks for the most interesting lunch I have had in a long time.    Just... thank-you for spending the time.  It was a treat!

Oh and aren't these girls some of the most beautiful things you have ever seen!  

My Forever 21 Inspiration

So, lately, I have been thinking a lot about talents and sharing talents.  I kind of wish I had more of them.  So, I have been making a mental note of things I would like to "explore".  I cannot guarantee that I will be proficient at all the things I try, but I am going to try anyways.  I just feel like I have so much more to give...  Here are a few things I want to learn about and (hopefully) become better at...

1) I would like to learn how to sew...  and by "sew", I mean, be able to sew, alter, upcycle, and design.  (I think it runs in my family....  My mom can sew, my Auntie Sandra can sew, and my grandma can sew.   I also "borrow" good sewing vibes from Aunt Tami and Aunt Rhonda.) 

2)  I would like to learn how to play the piano...  and then the violin.  I have always wanted to be able to share some sort of musical ability...  but I don't have any as of yet.  (Hence, this list).

3) I want to learn how to write children's literature.  I am taking an Intro to Children's Lit course this semester and it really fascinates me.  I would love to be creative and write children's stories based on challenges they face in the world today.

4) Photography.  I could never paint or sculpt, but I think I could do photography.  I would love to learn how to look at the world from a different angle.  :)

5) I want to learn the proper way to swim...  I made it to maroon when I was a kid and I could swim to save my life, but I have always wanted to learn all the proper techniques and swim strokes.  I would love to be able to go to the pool before school or an exam and swim lengths.  It would be a way to clear the mind and work the body...

Anyways, this is not really what this post is all about.  And, the list goes much longer, but I am getting off track.  

The other day, I went into Forever 21.  I don't really shop there very often because the store always seems such a mess....  but there are some real treasures to be found there if you are willing to look.  Anyways, I had to go to the mall to get a book for school (that cost 55 bucks, bleh) and I decided to look around.  I have been avoiding the malls lately in an attempt to stop the accumulation of STUFF.  No, this is not a spending strike that you hear about all over the blogosphere these days....  It is just an attempt to simplify my life.  It actually feels pretty good.  I even went through my closet and gave away a bunch of stuff that I love, but never wear.  (How tragic is that?  Having pretty things hang in your closet... and never wearing them).  Anways... we were talking about my trip to the mall... I stopped in a store to take a peek and I stumbled across these...

I fell in love with them...  And they were my inspiration for my first project on the road to accumulating more talents.  (ha!)  I love the silver and light blue together.  

So, I decided to make a dress for MYSELF that matched the idea/color scheme of these earrings!  (I have not sewn something for myself since the pj's in high school).  

I won't lie...  it took me a long time to sew this dress.  (Like 5 hours)  But I would like to just mention that, since I am trying to get better at sewing, I wouldn't cut any corners on the project.  I ironed, pinned, marked, re-ironed, pinned again, and ironed again.  And here is the finished product:

Front View:

(There are pleats on the front that are hard to see in the photo).

 From the Back:

 (As you can see, modelling is not currently one of my talents... but, I did figure out how to use the self-timer on my camera!  That's something to be proud of I think...)

It is definitely not the most flattering dress out there, but, man, is it comfy!  And I made it out of a lightweight wool fabric that was "like butter"!  

I think it will look really cute with a belt and cardigan.  Good thing I have both of those at home (since I am avoiding malls at the moment).

Do you want to know the best part?  Well, 2 "best parts" really.

1) It turned out exactly how it was supposed to... that has never happened to me before!

2) Total cost?  Including the earings, this outfit cost a total of $4.75.  Beat that Banana!