Christmas Crafts

For Christmas I really wanted to make some special for the kids. It all started with a trip to JoAnns and the thought that I was going to make everyone pajama pants. I looked around the store and tried to pick out fabrics that fit each of their personality.
Then once I got home I was analyzing the fabric thinking how I just spent $7 - $10 a yard for some of this fabric and now I was going to cut it up into pants they would wear for just a little while.

So, my next thought was, why not make it into a blanket....
Everytime we go on a road trip the kids always ask for a quilt and a blanket. Which multiplied by 5 and added to the already full car creates quite a dilemma.

I remembered some time ago Mom had given David a Quillow for Christmas. It's a quilt that if you fold it up, it has a pocket on the front and all the quilt stuffs into the pocket and forms a pillow.

With this they kids could all take their quillow and have either the blanket or the pillow in the car.

Which means.....another trip back to JoAnns because now I'm way short on fabric.

Here it is all folded up into the pillow

I got Mia's center panel at the Houston Quilt Show. I love the cats....if any of you remember how much I liked cats as a teen...then you totally get this. I think it's funny that our black and white cat loves to sleep on Mia's bed during the day. (maybe he feels at home there)

Kaylee's is by far the prettiest. She loves blues and green. Throw in a little pink and we have a winner.

Trent's favorite color is Purple...I had a hard time find 2 purples that would go together. But the second best choice is of course GOLD. I experimented on the stripes and like the way it turned out. (he likes it too)

Zane's is my favorite. It's hard to tell but there are little weenie dogs in bright colored sweaters. In fact this is the material that started the crazy idea.

Ty loves sharks. I really like the contrast of blue and orange in his blanket. He liked it too.

All help appreciated

I asked the 14yr old and the 6 yr old to hang up a stack of pants and shorts. This is what I found later. I have a gut feeling it wasn't the 6yr old that did this.

I'm not complaining, its one less thing for me to do. They'll still go in the closet.

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Cousin Time

For the MLK Holiday we met up with Gabe, Mammie, and Aunt Joyce in Lake Charles.

They brought the King Cake from Slidell, LA. We brought the GiGi's cupcakes from Kingwood and all who ate quickly fell into a diabetic coma.

But we also played lots of "screens", learned to knit, watched the Saints, Watched the Miss America pageant and ate Casa Manana. It was a very relaxing weekend.

addicted to. video games?

Ty. Combines his two great. Loves. Video games & gymnastics

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Zane & Max

Christmas Cards 2

I think one of my favorite Christmas traditions is Christmas cards. I love receiving so many beautiful cards in the mail. I Love, love, love seeing how kids are growing and changing each year. Even more I love the Christmas update letter. Even though I haven't sent one in a few years. I still enjoy reading other people's letters. I have a Christmas tree card holder but it just doesn't seem to hold all the great cards.

So this year I decided to display them differently. We hung some jute rope across the living room and then used clothespins to hang up the cards. The clothespins were a little plain at first but then the girls got busy and helped me modge podge some Christmas scrapbook paper on each pin. Now they look great.

I love walking past them and seeing all the smiling faces. If you don't currently send me a Christmas card, send me one next year. It will be cherished here!

(And I keep all my cards each year on a ring binder clip so that we can look through past years as well) No trash can for these babies

Christmas Card Photo

After a very tiring Christmas last year, I made a decision that I would get things done before the last minute this year. One thing I thought could be done ahead of time was the Christmas Card.

So one Saturday in mid-November we headed out to take our card photo. Armed with a promise of Baskin&Robbins for after the shoot, we got a pretty good shot.

But what I really love are the "out-takes" These shots really show the personality.

And man do we have some personality with these 5.

I even tried to get a few individual shots. Just for fun.

Sometimes though you get a real winner. Like this one of Kaylee....just love those big blue eyes!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas

Dressed to impress

This year Zane's Christmas concert had a (almost) formal dress code. He was required to wear a tuxedo shirt, tie, black dress pants & shoes. He looked very dapper,(if I do say so myself)
It does this Mom's heart good to see him dressed in something other than tshirts & basketball shorts, even if the concert only lasted 15 minutes.

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Zane 8th grade

 

Thanksgiving Feasts

Today there were Thanksgiving Feasts at school. Only Ty's class had a little presentation. Each child got to say what they were thankful for into the microphone while the slideshow was going. I was especially proud of what Ty was thankful for.



t
>Each of the kids had a T-shirt vest. They used their handprints to make the Indian on the back. Then Ty's teacher gave them all Indian names. I love his.....

I'm not sure how she knows that's all he does at home now. But it's probably because he does a lot of flips at school too. Since he started taking Gymnastics he is a flipping machine.

But my favorite part was the little songs they sang. He's been practicing them for a few weeks.

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

hat day

During Red Ribbon week at school, one day was declared hat day. Trent went with the biggest hat he could find. No baseball cap for this boy, he wanted the sombrero. His teacher loved it and told me he had a hard time fitting through the door.

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quilt show 2011

I spent my Friday at the International quilt show. This show brings in quilters from all over the world. Some of the quilts are there as award winners but mostly it's a lot of shopping. And by a lot I mean every sewing thing you could imagine.
I've been to the show only once before and that was 15 years ago so I was amazed at all the new stuff. But mostly I like to look for ideas. Different patterns and color combinations.
I had a great day and the best part was all free.(except my purchases) a friend from school offered 2 free passes, so I saved $10. Then a guard with the Astros let me park in their parking lot, so I saved another $10. And lastly, I met up with Jerilyn and the Louisiana crew, she had made chicken salad sandwiches and fixed an extra for me so I didn't buy lunch, so that was at least $10.....woo hoo quilts and bargains can't get much better.

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The Boo Crew

Mia and her friend Willow, getting ready to ring some doorbells.

Mia the Pop Star

Ty the Karate Kid, testing his moves on his friend Tate

Trent the Red Shadow Ninja

Kaylee the LSU football player

The "Boo" crew

This year our friends the Odoms asked us to come over and eat chili before Trick or Treating. Then we all went out together to "score" some treats. The kids all had a great evening. And so did the adults.
(Not pictured - Zane and Dawson were off exploring Kingwood on foot, while trying to score a little candy on the way)

Riding in Style

Rocket & Max love taking a ride in the car. But poor Max's legs are so short that he can't quite get into the window. So Mia had to give him a little boost.

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tricks

There are some ticks you can only do with an assist from a big brother

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We're so proud of Zane.
He and 143 of his closest band friends, participated in a Marching competition today. The band scored all Superior ratings, "all 1's"

(Don't ask me which one he is, it's so hard to follow him) All I know is when he starts the drill he's the 4th one, on the 50 yard line, after that I don't know where he goes.

I'd tried to caputre a video today but my camera work was shotty and I ran out of room on my memory card about 3/4 through the performance. Maybe next time.

catching up

A few weeks ago while home visiting in Westlake, we got to see baby William. (His parents too)
He sure is a cutie. And all the kids think he's just wonderful. Kaylee managed to pick him up really quickly but he was ready to be put down so he could explore.
Its hard to believe he's only been home from China one year.

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oh Captain my Captain

At school the fifth graders Get a chance to apply for safety patrol. They open car doors, monitor the bike racks, help the secretary pass out forgotten lunches and homework . Each week the teacher chooses someone to be the captain. Kaylee has waited 5 years for this position. And it finally arrived this week.
Give a girl a clipboard, a safety belt and a whistle And she will rule the world.

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