THIS SUMMER'S SEWING PROJECTS

In the absence of cookies demanding my creative attention, I've done a bit more sewing this summer. I do love to sew.  Shopping for fabric has got to be one of my all time favorite pass times.  There are SO. MANY. BEAUTIFUL. options.  Truly.  The artistry that is found in a fabric store is pretty amazing.  And, I have three sweet girlies that make perfect little canvases.  I haven't sewn anything for William yet, mainly because the boy options are a bit more limited.  But, now that I have some experience in knits, I may do some shorts for him next summer.

There is also a wide world of super cute patterns on the internet, and I've done a lot of pattern browsing on Etsy in particular.  I wanted to do a dress for the girls that I could mix several different fabrics on that included knit as a new challenge, and I found the perfect one for us at Little Lizard King on Etsy.

It's the Blue Ribbon Winner Pattern, and it was totally a winner for us.

I actually ended up ordering fabric from Fabric.com for this, because I wanted to do different colorways of the same design to have a little variety.  The butterflies are a Michael Miller fabric, and I was smitten from the moment I saw it.  I also knew the girls would love it, and they do!  Here's how ours turned out.

The colors are a bit unexpected together, but I do like the way they turned out.  The girls love them, and they seem to be quite comfortable.

The other outfits I've created this summer actually owe a lot of credit to my mother.  I picked out everything for these shorts, but she did the sewing which was so incredibly kind of her.  I bought the tank tops from Target and added coordinating fabric to them to dress them up.




The shorts are made from the Coachella Shorts pattern by Striped Swallow Design on Etsy.  This pattern also comes in Women's sizes, and I have been tempted to sew up some for myself.  So cute.

I got the fabric from a local shop that I love - the Stitchin Post.  I also purchased the pom pom trim there.  I got a serger for Mother's Day, and I used it to finish the edges of the ruffles on the tops, which turned out to be pretty simple.  All in all, I love the way it all turned out, and I plan on using these clothes for pictures that we have scheduled for next week.  Now, I just have to find things for William to coordinate. :)

Now I am planning for fall fun.  There are too many fabrics and too little time.

14 ON 3: A DAY IN THE WINDING DOWN SUMMER LIFE

This is one of our last full weeks of summer.  Here's how yesterday went down.

almost 9ish: We were on on way to therapy, and Violet was mad that I wouldn't give her my granola bar.  She has a mean pout face that comes at quicker than you can say "no."  It is so dang cute and funny, but we are seriously trying not to show her when we laugh.  It's hard work.

almost 10:  I finished up my work out class.  I'm so thankful to work out in air-conditioning with childcare.  Both are summer critical.



almost 11:  We finished up grocery shopping right before picking up the twins from therapy, which is what we do most Mondays.  Shopping with two kids > shopping with four kids.  The girls take turns riding on top of the "Fun Cart."  This sometimes freaks out employees, and I just pretend like I don't notice their discomfort.  They haven't fallen yet, and I figure that if they do fall, they will stop doing it.

12ish:  We ate lunch with one of Lily's old gymnastics coaches who now lives overseas doing missions work.  It was great to catch up!

a little past 1:  We came home to a completely clean house courtesy of our lovely housecleaner, and I was amazed at how much stuff was in William's crib.  I put him down for a nap and realized that it is almost time for toddler beds, especially since they are still sleeping in mini-cribs and are no longer mini themselves.  BUT - I am not ready to have twins on the loose.  They can get out of their cribs, but they mostly choose not to.  However, I am nervous that once we transition to toddler beds, I will regularly have little escapees.



2ish:  I sat down to write a blog post and catch up on email.  I didn't get very far on the email.



3ish:  My sweet cat joined me.  She is losing weight, and I probably need to take her to the vet to get her checked, because I'm not sure why, and she has certainly never had this problem in the past.  But, I just haven't managed to move it to the top of the list, especially since she is acting fine.

4ish:  I was finishing up my make-up, because I tried to squeeze in a shower before gymnastics, though I really was cutting it close.  We ended up late for gymnastics, and I was once again reminded that I cannot do all the things all of the time.



5:15ish:  Once the big kids were done with gymnastics, they played ring-around-the-rosie with the littles to everyone's great joy and delight.  Maybe excepting anyone that had to listen to it.  They didn't exactly use inside voices.



6:30ish:  I made Coconut Shrimp for dinner using coconut milk mixed with flaxseed in lieu of the egg wash you would normally use for breading since the twins are both allergic to egg.  It actually worked pretty well.  And I breaded the red pepper just because it sounded good, and I was right.



7:30ish:  Bedtime always feels a little chaotic and requires a lot of direction.  Last night was no exception.

8:30ish:  We've been very slowly working our way through Friday Night Lights on Netflix.  Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.



9:30ish:  Ice cream break.  This was John's.  I actually put mine in a bowl and added pumpkin seeds, chocolate syrup and whipped cream.  Yum.



10:15ish:  We thought we heard little girl voices talking, but thankfully, when I checked on them, everyone was sound asleep.  Sweet baby girl.



Days like yesterday are so normal for us, and when I look back at it, I see how full of goodness it really is.  Nothing is extraordinary, but I am so thankful for the sweet moments.

HEART OF COMPASSION

This summer I've been in a book club going through the book of Colossians.  It has been excellent.  We show up and read through the chapter that we are looking at, take some time for personal reflection and then discuss it.  For summer, it's been the best thing, because there is no extra homework, but I really do feel like we are diving in when we are together.  Win, win.



One phrase in particular has stuck in my heart and mind.  In Colossians 3, Paul tells the church to

"put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.  Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity."
(verses 12b-14, NASB, emphasis added by me)

This struck me as such a simple command, and yet it encompasses so much about the way that we interact with those around us.  I have never thought of myself as especially compassionate, but thinking through situations with empathy really is a game changer.  It is transforming, and for me, it is only possible through God's grace.

When I approach my children with a heart of compassion, I am more likely to listen to what they are really saying and try to understand where they are at.  That doesn't mean that I will always agree with their point of view, but the better I understand it as well as the feelings that accompany it, the better equipped I am to deal with them in a loving way.

When I approach loaded personal situations with a heart of compassion, I spend less time focusing on why I am right and more time considering the hows and whys that make up someone else's point of view.  And though that may ultimately not change the way I proceed, it will certainly impact and direct my feelings about the people involved.  It is so easy to focus on how I think and feel without stopping to consider where someone else is coming from.  When I put on a heart of compassion, I am compelled to make that consideration.  For me, this can diffuse a situation and lead towards more cooperation and understanding.

I recently listened to a podcast make a case for the statistics that indicate how rare it is for people to actually change their mind on something important, and based on my observations and experiences, I believe that is mostly true.  People think what they are going to think.  However, just think how different the world would be if we were all putting on a heart of compassion?  Everyone comes at life with baggage and hurts and experiences that color their worldview.  Imagine if we really made room for people stories to color our perspective?  Again, I don't think it would fundamentally change most opinions, but it does dramatically shape the way we deal with one another.

So - I've been asking God to give me eyes to see and ears to hear and to be clothed with compassion and to ultimately put on more love.  It's an uphill battle that fights my inward skeptic who wants to stayed entrenched in my own opinions and wants to do things her own way.  Old habits die hard - especially the ones inside my mind, but by God's grace, I'm gaining empathy one tiny day at a time.

LATELY: HIGHS & LOWS

It's August.  Shut the front door.  How is the year headed into fall madness and school and everything so quickly?  I know this is always happening, but it still amazes me at how quickly time passes.  Here are a few highs and lows of lately.

High:  We have had a pretty decent summer.  I was unsure if we would the first couple of weeks, but once I adjusted my expectations, it turned out all right.  Did we have the most fun ever?  No.  But, we've enjoyed one another and the more relaxed pace, and for that, I am extremely grateful.




Low:  With the additional time together, I've gotten to see some personality quirks and heart issues in my children that are a bit distressing.  It has caused me to turn towards the Lord for guidance in the good moments and absolutely want to scream with rage in the bad moments.  Ultimately, we all need the Lord to work more in our hearts.

High:  Our friend Becci came to visit, and we had a *mostly* nice evening in the Heights eating dinner and walking to dessert.  I love the quaintness of that neighborhood.  And the yarn-wrapped trees.

Low:  The Tour de France ended.  We really did love watching it every day.  But - we liked the winner, and we celebrated the finish with champagne, just like the winning team does as they ride into Paris.  Just like I rode over 2,000 miles on a bike through the French countryside including crazy intense mountains.  hahahahahaha.

High:  I've gotten to celebrate babies joining families by birth and adoption.  I attended a super sweet baby shower for a soon-to-be brand new mama and fellow CFA wife.

High:  The twins' hand-holding is going strong.  In fact, it is the best way for me to get William to walk anywhere, because Violet will allow herself to be led.  I have him grab Violet's hand, and then he is much more willing to follow the group.  ONLY if he is holding V's hand.  Otherwise, he wanders wherever he feels like going, and I have to carry him by his waist as he screams and kicks.  #subtletyisourspecialty

Low:  Because we have an ever-growing number of employees who are in our lives, we are in the splash zone whenever things -good or bad- happen to them.  Last week someone experienced a tragedy, and we grieved over her loss.  Life really is challenging, and it makes me long for heaven.

High:  Isn't the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile always a high?



High:  I spent a lot of time on Friday night researching chocolate hair and tried out a new technique on Saturday morning.  I am so pleased with how it turned out and proud of myself.  I may get the hang of this after all.



Low:  Violet is such a moving target.  She is incredibly sweet, but she probably almost doubles our hair time with her movement.  By the time we were finished, everyone had watched a lot of TV, and this is what our house looked like.  And we were all still in our PJs at 2 p.m.  It was a super weird day.



High:  We watched the new Lego documentary that came out this weekend, because we are super cool.  If you like Legos and/or documentaries at all, it is a fascinating look at the company.

Hope that your lately has had good highs and lows - gearing up for one of our last weeks of summer!