Over the past couple of days my friend, Beth, and I have been busy working on tops for our daughters. I have one and she has three. She did all of the sewing and I was her helper. I did the cutting and ironing.
   I found a couple pillow cases at Ikea for $2 each. Beth had some white fabric for lining but we ran out so she bought some extra white fabric and some trim for the ties. Plus, she had the beautiful lace that's at the bottom of the top. I think we figured about $12 total for 5 tops. (Not including to price of the pattern.)
   Why 5 tops for 4 girls? Well, we may have cut the first dress way to small for the youngest. Oops.
   I bought the pattern from SewSensible. http://www.etsy.com/listing/15306278/tween-teen-two-sewing-pattern-collection We had to do some adjusting to get the right width but the length was perfect. The sizes are from 7-16 plus so with a little math we (Beth) altered it for the youngest, who is 2.


  
  



    (I took the pictures with my cell phone. My husband has been using my camera for work because he broke two just weeks from each other! Hopefully, by using my expensive camera, he will be a little more careful.)

Happy Birthday Malachi and Zion!!!

   I can not believe it has been 12 years already. I feel like time is flying by. Twelve years ago I had to beep Jacob to tell him I needed to go to the hospital. Man, I was as big as a house. We doubled our family in one night.
   It's bitter sweet. I love who they were as babies, as toddles and as big kids. Now I love who they are becoming as they finish out their pre-teens and as they are getting ready to enter into their teens.
   I want so much for them but what I want most is to hold on just a little longer. I can remember them as little boys realizing that they would grow up and move away someday. They both cried and I had to hold them until they calmed down. Now they are dreaming of their bachelor pad and moving on. (Who's going to hold mommy when she can't calm down? LOL!)

   Turning 5, 10 and 12 are big mile stones in our family. At 5 they can chew gum. At 10 their bed time gets moved to 9. At 12 they get to drink soda. Malachi and Zion are really looking forward to drinking soda. They want Cherry Dr. Pepper.

Malachi. He is a very goofy kid. He will go for the joke every time. He still likes his pictures to be funny and he will ham it up every chance he gets. He has been this way his whole life. I must have just missed whatever silly face he was giving.  

Zion. I would say he is as goofy as Mal but in a more subtle way. He's very sharp and witty. He thinks he looks more cool if he doesn't smile in his pictures. I get asked why he looks so angry but he's not. Zion's actually a very happy, fun loving person who laughs all of the time.

Zion likes to hurt Malachi and Malachi likes to encourage Zion to hurt him. LOL, just kidding. I should have taken video of them trying to plan this picture. Mal, "Hey, Zion, how 'bout I get down like this and you drag me..."

  Zion, "No, no, no. How 'bout I get on you like this and pull your leg like this..."

Watching twins growing up together is a real treat. They have this special bond like no other. I am one blessed mom for having them in my life.

This is the last of the birthdays for the year. They come and they go so fast. I need to remember to enjoy the time I have with them, all of them. I need to remember that every stage is a good stage and look forward to the next stage in their lives. There may be tough times but there will always be good ones, too. I hope when they look back what they see is a happy childhood.  

Toddler Falls 30 Feet (He survives)

http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-20110822-toddler-fall,0,5598036.story

   Oh my gosh, this happened to me at the county fair when I was a kid. I wasn't a toddler, I think I was in kindergarten. We were at the very top of the bleachers watching the demolition derby. When it was over we got up to leave. I reached for my moms hand and fell right through and landed on my back.
  There were cross bars and beer bottles all over the place. I still think it's a miracle I didn't hit or land on anything. I remember being in pain, scared and having the wind knocked out of me. I couldn't move, my mom was by my side in no time. She was just as scared as me.
   An ambulance came, a paramedic checked to see if I could move my head and arms, I could. She looked in my eyes with her light then carried me over to the ambulance. I squeezed her fingers and fallowed them with my eyes.
   After what seemed like forever, the paramedic said I was fine, I don't think my mother was, though, and I was able to enjoy the rest of my time at the fair.
   I am so happy that this little boy, Brady, only fractured his arm. I hope he recovers quickly and is able to get back to his playing. I also hope his mom doesn't get plagued with nightmares.

From Smith & Wesson to Canon

   Last night, Saturday, Jacob and I went out for a night on the town!! WhooHoo!
   First, we had a voucher from livingsocial.com for "One-Hour Gun Range Rental for Two with Handgun Rental, Targets, Two Rental Sets of Eye and Ear Protection, Two T-Shirts, and 50-Piece Box of Ammunition from National Armory Gun Store & Gun Range". It was my first time shooting a gun, it was very intimidating. Can't wait to go back!
   I didn't know what to expect my first time pulling the trigger. I knew it wasn't going to be anything like in the movies but other then that, I really didn't have another frame of reference. It was terrifying, shocking, exciting. I pulled the trigger, there was a blast of fire, there was a shock wave, there was a rush, a high, there was no hole in the target!!! WHAT!!! How did I miss the target that was standing 10 feet away from me?!?!
   "Oh, you have to line the back thingy up with the front thingy. Now I got it." Bang. Bang. Bang...
   I think I did OK for my first time, I will definitely be going back.

We left the gun range and drove to Lefty's Tavern and Grill in Coral Springs to hear a great band, Shakey T. They were awesome!!! It was a great night and the music was fantastic. If you are local and you want to have a good night with great music you need to check out Shakey T. https://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=143103869110187

I put down the Smith & Wesson and picked up the Canon ;o)