Latest projects!!

OK so we all know how much I love working on different projects but my most favorite thing to do is sewing.  I love how I get to relax when I do it and it gives me some sense of accomplishment. Our little nephew Miles was born this month and we got to meet him a couple of weeks ago.  I was so happy to hear that both baby and mom were doing great and as soon as we heard the news I started to work on a quilt for him.  I was waiting so long because they didn't have a name for him yet and I wanted to embroider his initials on it.

I had a jelly roll that I had been saving for a special project but I guess some pieces were used for something else so I ended up with less blocks for my quilt than I expected so there was some improvisation.  It turned out really cute I think.  It is meant to be a quilt to will last for a long time, to put on the floor and be dragged around, it is a boy anyways.  I think they liked it.

Another project I worked on recently is this cute little dress for Kahlan, I tested another pattern for a different lady (this was my second time).  She like the pictures so much and the actual dress that she asked for my permission to use them on her blog and Facebook page.  I feel honored to be asked for my permission, she asked that I put a watermark on them and then to send them back.  I felt a little weird doing the watermark since I am not a profession photographer but I did it anyways.  Doesn't my princess look beautiful???
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Meet Sheldon

Last week I was talking to my mom on the phone and looking out the window when I see this "rock" moving across the backyard, I am very curious so I went out there to see what that was... it was a turtle. I immediately picked it up and put it in a bucket not knowing if it would become a future pet or just something to show my kids and then let go (as we did many years ago with a bunny that we found in our garage).

When Dan called me during his break I told him about it and he said we should keep it, there was nothing else that needed to be said, done deal so now we have a  pet turtle and the kids love it already. 

We were really heartbroken when our Franklin died a couple of years ago and they seem to be really excited to take care of it.

Yesterday Dan took me to the store to get all the supplies to build him a nice little place to live and be safe from predators.  I had the whole idea planned in my head and it was cool to see it become a reality with the help of my two kids who were really interested in the project.  We got a large bucket with a lid, chicken coop wire, wire, dirt a dish for his little pond and a flower pot for his "man cave".  We got hurt cutting the wire and I got burned on my arm when I cut a whole on the lid, apparently when you are using your Dremel tool it melts the plastic away and if it falls on your skin it will really really hurt... lesson learned. 

It didn't take that long to finish our little project and soon enough it was ready for test drive. 

We think he likes his new environment and loves getting in his water to poop, ha ha.  

Welcome to our family Sheldon!!!

PS The name Sheldon was given to him because his shell is damaged in the front and Sheldon is one of the funny characters of  "The Big Bang Theory"  show that Dan and I watch.  Just so you know :)

Shayna is awesome!!

So the end of school year is coming soon and with it my life gets a little crazy.  We have lots of things happening with all of the four kids in school but Shayna always has the most with band, orchestra and other things.  I am so happy that this year I actually got to go see her perform to all the events and I felt so proud to see her there doing so well.  Dan met me one of the nights to go see her play with her band in the Spring concert.  It was really good.
I was talking to Dan about how Shayna has been doing really good in school this year, I mean she is always done well but it seems to me that she had a little bit of a struggle last year when she first started middle school but now she seems to be used to it and she has been making straight As all year long.  We are truly proud of her. Of course we are very proud of all the kids, they all did so great in school and they all deserve praises.  I just wanted to do this special post for Shayna because she is my right arm in this house and I want her to know that, I tell her all the time how grateful I am for all the things she does for us, she is awesome at babysitting, she is awesome at school, she doesn't like cleaning but she still does it and I know it is hard for her to see now but I am only trying to teach her the things she needs to know so when she becomes an adult and has a place of her own she can take her of it and herself just fine.
Thanks to Shayna, Dan and I can go out on dates, enjoy movies and a little shopping without all the craziness of the 5 kids. I can trust that if I leave the house, Kahlan will be OK (even if her diapers don't get change all the time) and they all will be safe for a little while.  Thanks to Shayna some times I can escape to the gym by myself and get some of my stress out.
I don't have to worry about school with her because she does really well and sometimes I get to help her with her projects and she tells me that she loves how I can help her.  One day she got really emotional because she had to share her testimony at church about the YW program but she said that most of the things that she knows she has learned them from me and she is grateful to have  me as her mother, she really thinks that I teach her a lot.  It is nice to her those things from her, it really is.
I really hope that she enjoys her summer and I will try to make it fun because she deserves it.

 Spring concert, she got a medal!!!

 She really enjoys being part of the Trash Can Band.

 In action and getting her medal.

 Project for school, she is so talented with her drawings and her poems were awesome too.

Art Festival 2013

This year Victor and his Trash Can Band participated for the last time at the Art Festival in Kingwood, they have it every year at the Lone Star College.  When Shayna was in elementary school she was the one performing there, so we have gone practically every year and hope to see the other kids going there when they get older.
He really loves being part of the TCB and as shy as he is, that is where he gets to be a little bit out of his comfort zone.
While he was practicing with the band the rest of the family went out for lunch to a nearby Taco Bell and then went back to find some free crafts for the kids to do, we found this awesome project they had going on, tons of pictures on the sidewalk, art chalk is awesome.  Even I did my own little picture.  The kids had a blast doing that.  After that we went inside to see Victor perform and all in all was a good day.

 Art done by other kids.

 Kahlan supervising the work.

First Camping Trip of the Year

Back in March we felt the itch for a little camping trip and so we decided to pack up and go.  We had a big tent but big as it was.... it became to small for all of us, plus the camping place has this boxes full with sand to put your tent in it and the box was just not big enough for it, also the fact that we let some people from the ward have it for a while and they broke it   (lesson learned),  We found a cool tent at Walmart that was big enough for all 7 of us and it actually fits in the box and it works perfectly.
Dan came home a little early that day and took off with the guys while I stayed home to wait for Britney to come get her boys... it too forever.  As soon as she left I was on my way.
Dan did a good job putting the tent together with the kids, it expands kind of like an umbrella and it is really easy set up.  By the time I got there we pretty much had the place all ready to go.
We had our little fire which was enjoyed by everyone, had dinner, roasted marshmallows and had fun just hanging out in the dark. Eventually it was time to go to bed and we were a little worried about Kahlan since last time we went camping she refuses to stay in the tent and was really freaked out.  I ended up going back home that night but this time I was really set on staying no matter what.
She actually did better than expected.
Our night was not as enjoyable as we wanted it to be since our lovely camping neighbors decided to keep chatting, cursing and laughing all night long ans when I say cursing I mean REALLY cursing.  It was ridiculous and they would not stop, it was way past midnight and we kept lighting our flashlight over there but there was no luck. Idiots!!!!
Anyways, in the middle of the night we had to do a potty break and poor Aaron could not find his shoe and walked all the way to the restroom with on suck and it was so cold that he peed all over him.... lovely.
We did survive the night and just barely, it was really cold and I kept trying to keep Kahlan warm enough all night, at some point my hand got out of the sleeping bag trying to protect Kahlan's head from the cold and my arm was exposed for who knows how long, eventually I woke up to not being able to move my arm and then slowly coming back to life... it was really scary I kept trying to move my fingers and they would not move at all, of course everyone was asleep and no one saw my funny hand. Shayna was freezing too since she didn't really get into her sleeping back but used it as a blanket instead... she also learned her lesson.
Dan made breakfast for everyone and we packed our stuff and went home.  I know it sound like it was horrible but it all comes with the territory and really that is what camping is all about.
We recently went camping again but with our ward this time, it was fun and I will blog about it later.

 Shayna has been really good about taking pictures that include me lately, I appreciate it!!

 One of the reason of going camping was to help Tristan pass off some Scout stuff.

 Kids being amazed by the awesome fire Dan was in charge of.

 Love moments like this one, Dan with the kids enjoying life.

 Kahlan trying out our cot, she didn't like it so Shayna slept on it.

The girls testing all the sleeping bag to make sure we were all comfortable.

Valentine's present.

For Valentine's day my lovely husband surprised me with a very cool present, probably the coolest so far.  That morning during the rushing of the kids getting ready to school he gave an envelope with my card in it and I wanted to open it right away but he asked me to wait so I did... as soon as the boys left I opened it and it was a very nice card and I got all teary as always, then there was this paper inside the card and I opened it and all I read was Cirque Du Soulel, I took a second look just to make sure and then immediately proceeded to jump like a crazy woman which was probably the reaction Dan was waiting all along.
I was so happy and we had to wait until March to go see it.  It was a wonderful show (Quidam).  I loved every minute of it.  They don't let you take any pictures during the show of course but at the end I was able to take a pic of all the actors.  The only bad thing during the whole experience was that the people behind us had no idea how annoying and loud they were being, using all kinds of bad language and talking about things that had nothing to do with the show. I am pretty sure it took everything in Dan to not turn around and say something, it was really really annoying. I just kind of tuned them down because I really wanted to enjoy the show so I did OK...
Cirque Du Soulel was a pretty important thing for me, I had been talking about how much I wanted to go see one of their shows but never thought I would, their tickets are so expensive and if you know me it takes a lot out of me to spend money on things, specially if they are for me.  I will be forever grateful to Dan for a cool experience and to have crossed my first item off my bucket list.

Before we went in the Toyota Center which were the show was, we waited around this neat little park and they had these cool things there.  I liked them a lot and took a bunch of pictures, very unique.

Easter Dresses for this Year

Since we were sick Easter Sunday my girls did not get to wear their Easter outfits.... at least it gave me time to finish making a dress that had started as a project for my mom but never got around to get it done.  Since she is in Utah and I kind of fit into it (I made it too small for her) then I took the opportunity to buy the last piece of the puzzle which consisted of a long zipper and finished it for me.  I think it turned out really cute and it is a little loose on me so she can probably wear it next time she comes back.
The girls looked so cute in their outfits and they also turned out really well.  I went with what is hot right now which is the lace fabric, Shayna loved it and wants me to make more for her.  Of course it was super cheap to finish this outfit since I had half of the material already at home and only bought two yards of lace fabric on sale for half off, coming down to only $5.00 for both.  I also made the hair pieces which complemented their outfits really well.
I love my girls!!! Also so glad to be able to keep my tradition of making Easter dressed every year, well mostly since Shayna was like 4.... I only skip it if I am too pregnant and tired or if I find a good deal at the stores for a nice dress.