Happy Spring!

Hello Everyone!

How are you??? We have gotten a LOT of rain and wind. There is a lake between the two elementary schools that stretches from one parking lot to the other!!! Pretty hard to play soccer there these days! But we have had a few days of wonderful glorious sun!!! Yaaa!!! On April 1st, we all headed over to Rita's Water Ice for a free sampling of the new flavor...Peeps...very sweet and yummy! We all picked our favorite flavors of water ice and chatted with a guy about his motorcycle adventures! LOL!

Devon also changed out the clings on the front glass door. She does the whole thing by herself!!! There are lots of little pieces and parts and she designs the whole layout!

Last weekend, Brooklyn attended a gymnastic birthday party of one of her preschool buddies! They had a lot of fun doing all kinds of activities. There were snacks and cake too!!!
Enjoying her cake! Brooklyn is actually only an icing-eater type kid!
The teacher lined all of the kids up and did each activity with them!
Here is Brooklyn trying a back-bend, flip move with a rolling barrel...so interesting and what a great tool to teach kids with!
Here is the birthday girl!!! Happy 5th Birthday Dominica!!!
Brooklyn loved the teacher. I was watching Brookie from the sidelines. I was happy to report that she listened and followed directions and didn't follow the other kids when they got up and started running around. Good listening Brooklyn!!!
Dominica opening Brooklyn's gift! (More about the gift below)
Earlier that day we attended an Easter party! Unfortunately it was pretty drawn out and the egg hunt was at the very end....(two hours later) and we couldnt stay due to the above party. The girls did enjoy the indoor games and facepainting though!



The only volunteer to sit on the bunny's lap this year....
The next day we dyed Easter eggs. I've been enjoying egg salad sandwiches and salad with these eggs all week !
We covered the table and the girls mixed up the dyes! Here is Sarah's first egg...
Devon had the patience to do a half and half egg!
Brooklyn's egg being dipped...
Waiting and waiting....
Half way done...
All done!
Then we had Palm Sunday Dinner....we had yummy ham and all kinds of veggy's and pie for dessert!
And what have we been sewing this week?

We also got a cozy bed for Jilly the hamster...(I called the mom and she had Jilly already!)
And I made colorful capri easy-fits to complete the ensemble!
Here is Brooklyn's tee...her pet is named Pipsqueak!

I still have to make one for Devon this weekend! I ran out of time! I also completed the second Easter dress for the girls. I had this coordinating fabric for a while and never made a dress with it. It is perfect for spring! Unfortunately it is very thin fabric. I am so used to working with gorgeous Jennifer Paganelli fabric so I guess I am spoiled!
I got the idea for the applique from SWAK! I did it by hand and it says...Grown With Love.
Twirling!
Here is a close-up of the front...
And the back....
It was so windy outside I had to come in to get a still shot!
Sarah also had a chance to sew this week! She used Carla's Easy-Fit pattern to craft some cute pants for the girls! She has sewn in the past but got frustrated with the commercial pattern and directions....hummmm.....that makes TWO of us!! So this was the first time she tried sewing with my new machine, Katie. Having Carla's clear directions and diagrams made all of the difference!!! Here she is cutting the fabric...
And stitching the cuff....
And within an hour...whalaaa...all done!!! Love it!!!!
Great job Sarah! Brooklyn like them so much she wouldn't take them off for bed and slept in them!!!
What do I see here? Is that fluff? Why yes...it is!!! Miles of it!
The purple one is Devon's....she picked all of her colors. The mint green one is Brooklyn's...I picked her colors since she was napping when I ordered them. I wanted them coordinating but not identical...
And here is Devon holding up Sarah's. She ordered an adult one and its just amazing...I think Teresa said it was made from 40 yards of material....which is a combination of chiffon and organza!
They are having trouble staying out of them until Easter Sunday though...here they are goofing around...that Brooklyn cracks me up with her faces!

And today, Sarah's friend came over! What a fun day!! They played outside and inside. We had lunch. Then we walked down to the bay and hung out in the sun for a while. Then we had slushies in the blender and now they are playing pictionary!

I also got some time to work on my quilt...yes, the same one I've been working on for over a year. I am done 10 of 12 blocks though! I am hoping to finish the last two blocks and start assembling them this week. Each block has to be assembled from several different fabric blocks, and then applique and designs are added on which is why it takes so long. I have absolutely no idea how to quilt...so when I have to assemble the quilt and actually start quilting I may need some help from anyone who has quilted before.

Last night I read a bunch of Easter stories and several chapters out of the girl's Choices Bible story book. I love it because it retells the Bible in enough detail to get the whole story across. It also shows how each person has lots of choices to make and that there are good and bad choices. Sometimes its hard to make the right choice but they see the consequences of both. The Bible offers a lot of illustrations about choices and consequences. Devon is always full of questions and I think the most wonderful part about being a parent is sharing God with your very own child. What a blessing!

Easter is a pretty powerful and moving time...I am hoping everyone can draw close to God and experience His love and peace and forgiveness!
Happy Easter!