Girls will be girls.

Because she's that awesome.

I pulled out the camera, she pulled out her funny faces.

And since I know you won't guess what we made with the play-dough, I'll tell you.

They're chocolates.

The gourmet kind.

Ava telling Lucy all about something.

She found a pocket New Testament.

I heard all about how we read about Jesus and water in the Bible.

 "Look, mommy, this is BLUE."

(She's figuring out how to enunciate the "L" sound, rather that say the "W" sound. Blue is one of her new favorite words to carefully enunciate.)

A Special Baby Shower

This baby shower was for my beautiful little sister.

It was so, so special to throw her and the sweet little boy on the way a party!

The colors were brown and blue, the colors being used in the nursery. 

 Ava picked out a special bear to be a cousin for her Mr. Sanders.

Ava is very excited to be getting a cousin!

 Lots of yummy food!

 I didn't get many pictures of the actual event. I really did mean to!

I do know that M&Z got lots of things they needed for the baby and they are ready.

I can't wait to meet this special little man in just a few short weeks!

8 Weeks

Baby has a strong heartbeat, and is officially due March 1st!

Beautiful

Observations

I made a late evening run to the store.

Shopping after 8:00pm is always...shall we say entertaining?

One thought always grabs me and won't leave my mind. (I don't think it's supposed to.)

How would everyone's lives be different if they knew how much they are loved?

From the frustrated single mother

to the tired, worn down woman waiting for public transit

and the pregnant girlfriend who is probably looking for true sacrifice and commitment from her boyfriend-

they all need one thing.

Jesus.

I think what lodges in my brain is wondering how; how can I possibly affect their lives in passing?

What if I smile?

Just one smile for the man that looks angry.

Guess what. He smiled back and stood a little straighter.

One smile (and maybe a little honesty in my gaze) for the teenage girl acting out with her friends.

She noticed. She smiled back. She stood a little straighter.

I'll be the first to admit that it's really hard to always feel nice.

People can be frustrating. Annoying.

Sometimes I just want to have my comfortable little box.

Or I feel fat and unattractive. (It's okay, we all have those days.)

But why does that affect how I treat others?

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

(That word, neighbor, in the original text references someone completely opposite of yourself.)

I am implicitly commanded to love everyone.

Not be them, just represent the love God has given me.

So, if I only have a few seconds, and I may never see that person again, and their life is hard and painful...

how do I respond?

How do you respond?

A knee-jerk reaction will flicker across a face in seconds, and it can hurt someone, and we never have the chance to take it back.

So, rather than feeling repulsion or disgust, what if I looked at everyone as created by and loved by the Creator of all things?

How would that change how I treat everyone I ever meet?

Mini-Project

This project started out with a doily and a quiet afternoon.

However, I'm going to show you the insert. It was a late addition, made because I didn't want to pay for a pre-made insert when I had an old unused fabric shower curtain lying around. 

(Note: I'm saving the top part with the grommets, because I might someday get around to custom-making a shower curtain that I actually like.)

I just cut two 17"x17" squares and used a 1/2" seam, ending with a standard 16" pillow form.

It got stuffed and sewn up. Voila.

 The slipcover is 3 panels of fabric sewn together, then trimmed to 17"x17".

I used an old doily for the front corner.

 The back (not pictured) is two 12"x17" pieces of fabric.

I hemmed one long edge on each piece, and then overlapped the hemmed edges in the middle, and sewed the outsides to the front of the slipcover. That way it's easy-peasy to change out slipcovers anytime, and they take 30 minutes tops to make. 

(Sorry about not having any in-process photos.)

So, that's my latest project. I haven't done much crafting lately and it was fun to do a bit of sewing again.

Bonus: Everything was on hand so this project was FREE.

World's Best Cheese

Punkins.

You all remember Miss Lucy. 

She's the shorter of my cute little blondies.

Well, she's also a stubborn, determined little girl.

She really loves the little play people.

Specifically, trying to carry more than one in just one of her pudgy little fists.

That doesn't always work, and we've had some top-notch meltdowns.

There are not any "one for each hand!" epiphanies going on around here.

Do you see what else is great about the above picture? 

She is STANDING! 

Miss Lucy is a free walker and delights in her newly discovered cruising skills.

Check out the bunny ears daddy got her: 

They are sort of like a hat which means they are the best ever.

 And my darling Miss Ava has an amazing smile!

She loves to have Thomas play the piano. It's seriously adorable.

 You see all those toys? We play hard around here.

I love this picture.

It's so Ava.

She has her dancing skirt on.

And her fancy shoes (with ruffle socks, of course).

And she's in front of a mirror.

(Of course.)