The benefits of having a sewing machine

Gosh, I've had a lot of sewing projects lately. I think most of it stems from the fact that we have to pay $6000 of our baby bills up front before insurance will pay for any of it- yes, our insurance stinks. We thought it would be $3000, but recently got surprised by the double expense of it. So, I've been trying to 'boyify' our baby stuff myself instead of buying things. So, here's what I've been up to...

We needed boy curtains for the baby room that weren't hot pink. So I bought brown ones, and hemmed them because they were too long. Easy peasy, I know, but there's a point to this...

I have these basket things that go under our bassinet that have pink cloth liners. I used the extra material from the curtains I hemmed and made brown cloth liners.

Then the bassinet needed boy ribbon instead of pink, so here's the finished product. I just bought the ribbon, and then the baskets are on the bottom. Total cost: 3.75

I also think the bassinet it a bit uncomfy with just a teeny tiny pad to go inside, so I made an additional pad. It looks like a body pillow a bit, but it fits perfectly in the bassinet under the original vinyl pad. Cost: $6.00 Joanne's was having a sale...

A few months ago I got a new laptop because my cute little netbook broke. My netbook fit in my purse, my laptop does not. So, I needed something to carry my laptop in. It's essentially a purse, but it fits my laptop perfectly. Total cost: $5.00

I'm a big time swaddler mom, and all my babies have been winter babies. With the girls, I got a hand-me-down travel swaddler where there were little feeties in the blanket so you can buckle the baby into the carseat while still being swaddled. I LOVED it with my girls, but it's pink. I searched all over the internet for a boy swaddler, and this was the best I found. But, I didn't like that the bottom went all the way to the baby's waist. Who wants to spend the time shimmying a baby in up to the waist? So I just seam-ripped the sides and made it a flap instead.

Also, I'm a silky mom. My girls love their little comforts, and I wanted a silky for my boy. BUT, I learned with my girls that I want two identical ones, so I can wash one and the baby can still have another, and I didn't want them huge. I didn't want them teeny tiny either, like the little ones they sell at the stores. So, I made them. A) It was cheaper, and B) They are the perfect size. I know they look exactly like something you'd buy at the store (not quite original), but they are custom fit and cheaper. And yes, I put a tag on the bottom right. I couldn't help myself. My girls love the tags on their silkies. I think the total cost on this one, for two blankets, because of the soft baby fabric on top, was $20. Not great, but that darn baby fabric is expensive!

Tomorrow, if I remember, I'll take pics of just a couple of things I did in the girls' room. :)

Preschool and such

Okay, back into the blogging world. I feel like my life is filled with organizing and re-situating for the new baby. And there's always piles. Everywhere. One of these days I will get everything washed, organized, and put away. I've had some fun sewing projects and whatnot, and eventually I'll take the time to take pics and show them off.

Lexi had her first day of preschool last week. She's been begging me to go back to preschool all summer, so it was fun for her to have it again. I think she's having a blast just like last year. We took a pic of the big day of course, though it felt a little like deja vu.

This is the last skirt I made, and it might be my favorite. Lexi really likes plain old ponytails lately, so at least the headband spices it up a little bit.

This is the uncropped pic, because Lanie is so cute all dressed up in her princess clothes. And she just HAD to be in the picture too.

Nana and Grandpa came into town again, and they took Lexi to get a manicure with her Aunt Lindsay. An actual manicure. Lexi was SO stinking happy, and they were so cute!

She even got little flowers on the thumbs.

I told myself I'd be really good about having picture evidence of this pregnancy, but again I failed miserably. I will be 35 weeks tomorrow, so let's just say I'm 35 weeks here. I know, I look ridiculous. I mean that in the nicest way, don't get me wrong! The big tummy just looks awkward. Last pregnancy one of my sisters said it looks like a massive tumor because the rest of me stays pretty normal, and also last pregnancy my hubbie said it looks like the end of a bullet. I think the bullet is the best description.

I'm starting to get uncomfortable, and for the first time in my life, I am feeling slight heartburn. Never had that with the girls. My tummy feels tight ALL THE TIME. I'm really hoping my doc will induce at 38 weeks. Don't get me wrong- I'm not trying to complain. I have some really easy pregnancies, and I know that. But I'm not used to being restricted in my movement and in my activities. I don't like it. :) If I have to bend over and pick up another toy, so help me... :)

When I get around to it, I will post pics of the girls' new bunk bed, the baby's room, and some little sewing projects I've been doing.

Dumb ticket...

I got a ticket last Friday. I ran through a stop sign. BUT there were extenuating circumstances!

Here's what I need. I will tell all my readers, all 2 of you, the story, and you need to tell me if I can fight the ticket. Okay, here we go.

I was taking the girls to preschool, and it's a road that has a few stop signs. I religiously stop at these stop signs. Anyway, I had just stopped at a stop sign, and I continued driving, and I see a little boy on the sidewalk that must've fallen off of his bike. The boy was crying, and I looked to see how hurt he might be. I considered stopping and seeing if he's okay, but a van behind me pulled over and helped him, so I continue driving... only to see I'm right at another stop sign.

I have two options- screech to a stop, or glide through. To make it more interesting, let's put a COP at the intersection.

I don't want to screech to a stop because I have kids in the car and I don't want to scare them. It would have been a pretty big screech, and I didn't want them to be scared. So, I looked at the intersection and saw that the SUV at the intersection saw me and that he wasn't moving. I KNEW without a doubt that he wasn't going to move, and that we definitely wouldn't collide, so instead of screeching I glided through the intersection and immediately pulled over, before the cop could get his lights on, because I knew he would pull me over. AND the guy was kind of a jerk.

So, that's the story. I saw a little boy who was injured on the sidewalk, and I forgot about the stop sign. Technically, I did run a stop sign, but I think it's an exception.

What do you think? Should I try and fight it? I risk not being able to go to traffic school. PLEASE help me. I'm so indecisive...

Wedding pics

One of the benefits of having your mother-in-law taking candids at a family friend's wedding? You get a lot of pictures of your family too. :)

The girls were having lots of fun playing outside the temple.

They danced a lot...

Then they needed Daddy to dance with them too...

Love Tyler's face in this one. So suave... And yes, his wife is that gorgeous in person too...

Waiting for the happy couple to come out...

I don't know how to smile in a picture all by myself. This is usually what happens. And I need to stop slouching...

This was our best attempt at a family photo. Man, I should post all the other pictures. They were kinda hilarious to look at. This was the best one.

So stinkin' cute, I know. Lanie's big into hugs and kisses lately.

Skirts

Gosh, I got so lazy with skirts this year, I made the easy one at the beginning of the summer, but the rest have just been waiting under my bed to be made.

I thought I could at least make them for Lexi's beginning of her preschool, so I pumped them out this week.

This first should have pockets added on, but I got lazy. Find the tutorial here. I was slightly intimidated, but it was pretty easy.

I made this next one by just tweeking the previous pattern. I just evened out the panels instead of making two little panels and a wide one in the middle.

I have a third skirt I made, but I haven't taken a picture yet. Both girls have one of each, and I also made little headbands to go with them. Those were stinking easy. I'll have to take a picture of them too. The girls actually really like them, and I love how they turned out. And now Lexi has some new preschool clothes for next week. :)

TV's and Turtles

Our TV has kind of been the Wernli family joke for a while now. It's little and old, and you have to squint to see it from the couch. Our kids would always park their chairs right up to it to watch movies. We inherited it from Brandon's roommate and never found a reason to replace it. :)

Brandon's dad finally had enough and bought a new one for us. Thank you!

The old one. Yes, it has a built-in VCR!! A revolution of its time!

The new one. Lanie keeps saying "Big TV" all the time now. She's pretty amazed... :)

In other news, we got a turtle. Yes, we are the crazy animal people. And that's okay by us. I'm sure we'll add lots more when we have a house with a yard.

A girl in the ward said her co-worker was getting rid of it, and that it's relatively low maintenance, so we said we'd take it. He's really easy, and we let him roam around all the time. He's already 20 years old, and he'll probably live another 80. He'll probably go to Lexi after we die. :) The girls love him!

Pool Time and Weddings

Wow, it's been... an eternity since I've posted. Sorry about that. My summer has been so relaxing and fun, that I haven't really wanted to post anything.

Anywho, we were lucky enough to be visited by Brandon's parents and little sister a couple weeks ago. And I didn't take any pictures. Yikes. Fortunately, other people did. We went to a pre-wedding pool party, and Lexi and Lanie loved the diving board. They jumped off, with tubes, without tubes, etc. Lanie is officially a swimmer. She now knows how to breathe and swim from side to side. I don't trust her at all, so I'm always close by, but she does really well.

A long-time friend of Brandon's family got married, so we had fun after the temple ceremony and at the luncheon. I have a lot more pics to post, but I need to upload them. I will try to do that today. :) I recycled the girls' dresses from Uncle Jason's wedding earlier in the year...

It was such a fun week. Up next, Our new TV...