Team Umizoomi

This year for Halloween the kids wanted to be Geo and Millie from Team Umizoomi:

 

I searched for costumes, but there aren't many options for Geo and Millie.  I got creative.  With the help of Old Navy, felt, pipe cleaners and a hot glue gun, Aric and Kellyn were transformed into Team Umizoomi:

They decided I needed to be doormouse.

The general consensus around the neighborhood was that Aric and Kellyn made very cute bugs.  We had a good time anyway.

Things Heard Around Here

Aric: My hair is tired.  That's why it's laying down on my head.

That explains so much.  My hair must always be tired, except first thing in the morning when it's sticking up in all sorts of crazy directions.

Terrorizing Cats

-Since 2009-

Kellyn's Birthday Celebration

On Friday, Kellyn's birthday, I was scheduled to have a booth in a craft show.  This was planned for quite some time and Ryan had the day off from work to watch the kids.  That morning as I was getting ready Kellyn asked to go.  Since she was the birthday girl I agreed and took her along.

She started out the day pretty grouchy.

She quickly cheered up after walking around with a friend, getting birthday necklaces, kettle corn, and watching a high school band perform.

She had a fun day at the craft show.

The next day we had a small birthday celebration for her at our house.

She loved the birthday card/crown Nana and Papa sent.

Her presents were all big hits.

When previously asked, she requested a pumpkin cake for her birthday.  We think she has her birthday and Halloween a bit mixed up.

There was a bit of drama when Aric helped Kellyn blow her candle out.  She cried and we re-lit the candle so she could blow it out on her own. Apparently big girls do cry.

 

It was too rainy on Friday and Saturday for Kellyn to ride her bike outside.  Sunday was perfect, though.  She had a couple of crashes, but did really well.

It was a successful third birthday for Kellyn.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, Kellyn

It's hard to believe my baby is already three!

Cherished

My husband came home from work early on Tuesday with the most beautiful bouquet of flowers and a pumpkin spice latte. 

He left work early to drive me to my last knee appointment.  He has really been a trooper these last four weeks.  Ryan stayed home, took care of the kids, the house, the grocery shopping, everything.  He has taken the kids out, away from the house, to give me time to rest, recover and sew.  When we discovered my injections were more intense and debilitating than originally though, he made arrangements with his work to have the time off to help me recover. 

I am thankful for this man I married.  He is a wonderful father and husband.

Things Heard Around Here

Look Mommy, Daddy gave me a beer necklace with a pretzel on it.

One silly necklace from an Octoberfest party made this little girl so happy.  She was most excited about the pretzel on the necklace.

As usual she's not wearing pants.  We've had to put our foot down and make her wear pants now that the cooler weather has moved in.  It's a constant battle all. day. long.

Busy Bee

I have taken advantage of the time I've been given over the past month to recover.  For the first two weeks I didn't do too much.  I was laid up in bed, in pain, and really not feeling well.  For the past week I've been feeling a bit better and used the time to sew.  Ryan's work has been accommodating and he was able to take a considerable amount of time off to care of me and the kids while I recovered.  I finally got back into gear and have been consistently sewing.  Looking at my calendar I'm booked and unable to take any more custom orders until January.  It might work out and leave me some openings here and there, but I don't want to add too much more in and chain myself to a sewing machine.

Some of my recent projects include:

A laptop bag for a friend.

I had to increase the size of the bag to accommodate a laptop.  I plan to offer the bag, in it's original size, as a made to order item in January.  I have two orders for this bag in different color combinations to make next month.

Lots of diaper covers.

I can tell this is the time of year when people are having photos taken.  I have sold an insane amount of diaper covers over the last month.  I even had to get Ryan to take me on crutches to the fabric store to get more elastic.  I finally broke down and ordered elastic in bulk.  It's much handier to have around.

A diaper cover and tie set.

Insanely cute, but I did find it humorous to sew a tie for a one year old. This is for an upcoming photo shoot.  I'll offer this set as a made to order item in January.  Right now I just don't have the time to produce a mass quantity of neckties for babies.

A purse for myself.

It's not the best photo, but I really like the design of the purse and I enjoyed making it.  I'll add this as a made to order item in January.

Another wristlet order.

I redesigned my wristlets the other day and I really like the new style.  I was having some difficulty keeping the exterior pocket straight and large enough to hold an ID card.  I also discovered that I was chasing away some potential buyers because they were afraid the ID would slip out of the pocket.  I cobbled together a few ideas and made the pocket on the inside.  The ID is fully enclosed inside the wristlet and protected by the zipper.  I've made several now and I'm truly pleased with the way they are turning out.

Cross Body Bags.

They are padded and large enough to hold everything from an iPad to a Kindle.  They can also be used as a purse.  I enjoy making them, but I haven't had the time yet to make one for myself.

What else is on my sewing plate?  A craft show this Friday and Saturday. A crib skirt, bumper and curtain set, Christmas gifts, two bags, backpacks for the kids (another possible made to order item) and whatever else I can squeeze in there.

When I'm finished with my to do list I plan on working hard to make the kid's quilts.  I have the material and I really don't want to keep pushing them off.  It's well past time that I make and finish them.

Knee Recovery

The summer already slipped away from me and I realize, if I'm not careful, this fall will do the same thing.  The last three weeks have not gone as planned.  I guess that's just the way of life, though.

A week after my surgery I had an appointment for a one week post-op check up and stitch removal.  That's all I was expecting to happen.  I had my stitches removed, and after talking to the doctor I received my first of three hyaluronic acid injections, four weeks earlier than I was expecting.  I was previously told the injections would be painful.  I didn't think too much about it until the first injection.  Painful isn't the right word.  Excruciating, stepping on a Lego, birthing a child is more like it.  The massive needle was injected behind my knee cap and a large amount of fluid was injected into a tiny space.  Afterwards I wasn't sure if I'd be able to walk out of the doctor's office.  It was definitely a huge set back in my recovery. 

I had my second injection the following week.  It went much better.  The clinic was testing out a new, portable ultrasound machine.  They used the machine to look inside my knee and inject the fluid exactly where they wanted it to go.  While painful, it wasn't as bad as the previous week.  I didn't feel like my knee cap was going to blow out from the pressure.  My last injection is tomorrow.  I'm praying they bought the ultrasound machine.

These injections are supposed to help lubricate my knee joint.  They will hopefully help it to work smoothly for the next six to nine months (best case scenario).  Anything less is not worth the course of injections.  If this does work then it is a possible method of treatment to prolong the need for another knee surgery.  I really don't want to go back for a yearly knee scope for the rest of my life.

I'll always have a problem knee.  My cartilage is falling apart and irreparable.  My goal is to find a method to help me live my life, walk, chase the kids and just have the active lifestyle that I enjoy having.  That and skiing... I have a date to ski in early January.