with needle & thREAD

Joining with Eliabeth

Not too much sewing going on, but a lot of cutting ... to me, it's the most time consuming.  I try to cut out many and then sew assembly-line style.  The patterns are from The King's Daughters.

Projects ready to sew:

2 Button Dresses
1 Jumper
1 Skirt

All for my oldest daughter ... she's a size 8 in the waist and a size 16 in height.  Try finding clothes that fit!

To conclude from yesterday's post, my spiritual reading that I do along side the daily Mass readings is The Conversation with God  The funny thing is that in today's reading it talks of the 'heroic minute' on pg. 491 of volume two.  I just had blogged about that the other day!

Yarn Along

Joining Ginny on YarnAlong...

Back to working on the baptismal gown.  This is the second time around with the gown.  The length of it is finished and now I'm working on the picket edging.  Due date is fast approaching and I'm getting nervous about finishing this in time for the baptism tentatively set for either June 10th or 17th.  Ravelry notes here.

Recently purchased the updated Daily Roman Missal.  I do really enjoy the Magnificat, but I felt it more prudent to go with the daily missal ... wouldn't need to spend more money on a subscription.  I realize that the missal doesn't contain spiritual readings, but I'll blog about what I do read tomorrow.

Conquering the "Heroic Moment"

Have you ever heard of the "Heroic Moment"?  The moment when your alarm goes off or the sun wakes you up ... and you struggle to get out of bed.  You know you should, but just a few more moments of sleep are begging to be had.

Depression, stress, tiredness, and loneliness have plagued me for the past four weeks.

I'm at 36 weeks now and I'm starting to wonder if I'll make it to the end with my sanity and strength still intact.

Today, I am hopeful.  The last two days now, I've conquered the "Heroic Moment" and I feel so good about that small accomplishment:  waking up at sunrise and walking two miles.

Actions speak louder than words

Setting:

Bumbershoot (5 yrs old) is running a lap around the family room, up the stairs, a lap around the living room, up the next flight of stairs then repeating it over and over again.

After watching this for twenty minutes,

Mother asks, "Bumbershoot, what are you doing?"

Bumbershoot replies, "I'm training so that I can run a marathon like you, Mom!"

Yarn Along

Joining Ginny on Yarn Along..

Getting closer to finishing my Fibonacci sequence inspired sweater.  The pattern I chose was a buttoned sweater considering that I'll be nursing again for the next two years.  My knitting teacher (a fellow engineer) thought that it would be fun to knit a sweater using the Fibonacci sequence.  The Fibonacci sequence is found all through nature.  Here's one example.

My reading lately consists of reading and re-reading "Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum" by Laura Berquist.  We've been using MODG (Mother of Divine Grace) as our homeschooling curriculum since my oldest was in first grade.  (She's currently finishing up seventh.)  Most of our curriculum has been ordered for next year thanks to an Easter sale at Adoremus Books.

A full homeschool plan of what we are doing is here from grades K-12.  Not sure on how to get it to look a little better on the blog.

needle and thREAD

A fun new link up by Elizabeth at In the Heart of my Home

Lately while sewing, I've been listening to the New Testament on cd.  The pattern I used for the girls' Easter dresses was from The King's Daughters.

He is Risen!

Happy Easter!

Out of the Mouth of Babes

Lots of Hair:  "More!"

Dear Husband:  "Would you like more water?  What do you say?"

Lots of Hair (almost 3 years old):  "Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Amen."

Wordless Wednesday

Yarn Along

With each baby, I've crocheted a baptismal gown.  Since learning how to knit, I decided to go outside my comfort zone and knit a baptismal gown for our newest little one.  To me, each stitch is a little prayer for this little soul.  It comforts me in my anxiety during pregnancy.

This is the beginning of the gown (again) starting from the waist going toward the feet.  The pattern is "Ribbons and Lace Christening Gown".
 
My first knitting class was this past Saturday, basic socks.  Last night, I finished my 'homework' which was to knit up to the heel.  The pattern is a Men's Heavy Weight Boot Sock by Knitting Pure & Simple.  Why I mens' sock, you ask?  Well, I do have size 12-13 ladies feet.  While knitting, I had two dropped stitches which I was able to fix myself thanks to the awesome Knitting Help app on my IPod.

I've been enjoying listening to the New Testament recommended by Elizabeth Foss.  I am still reading Jillian Michael's Unlimited.

Check out the other Yarn Along's at Ginny's Blog

It's a boy!

Homeschool Planning

This is the time of year that I start looking at our overall curriculum, what's working or not.  I start compiling a list of purchases that will need to be made for next school year for each child.  Why?  Usually, one of the school suppliers has an awesome Easter sale on everything, including the books that never go on sale.  Also, planning now provides a list for me to have on hand when I'm at the thrift store or scanning the swap emails.

Mostly, we've been using Mother of Divine Grace's curriculum.  For high school, I'm still evaluating what to exactly do.  My goal is to prepare the children well so that if they want to go to college, they can ... hopefully doing well on the standardized tests and getting scholarships..

My homeschool planning work in progress is located on this page:  Homeschool Plan

Yarn Along

The sweater is finished up to the armholes.  It's waiting a purchase of double point needles in the correct size in order to start the sleeves.  Many people have oh'd and ah'd over the pattern in the sweater ... it's not me, it's the yarn.  I'm curious to see if the sleeves will even match up with the pattern of the sweater since sleeves are a smaller circumference.  The sweater is the Wallaby Pattern by Cottage Creations.

In the meantime, I'm back to working on the baptismal gown.  Ripping it out was the right call.

Saturday is my first knitting class!  I'm taking a basic sock class at the local yarn shop, The Crazy Girl Yarn Shop.  Isn't that a fantastic name for a yarn shop!  One of my knitting goals this year is to make socks that fit my size 12 women's feet.  My husband gave me two knitting classes for my birthday.  So for the next ten Saturdays, I have at least 2-3 hours all to myself.  Hubby will either be home with the five children or taking them to a 4-H meeting (all five!).  Best present ever!

Hubby came across the newest Jillian Michaels book, Unlimited at the library.  I have most of her fitness books. They have been a tremendous part of helping me in changing my lifestyle, especially Master Your Metabolism.  Unlimited is an unusual book.  It's a self-help book written by someone who is not a therapist; though she was in therapy since the age of five, I believe.

I found it funny that early in the book she talks about quantum mechanics and string theory.  Yes, we are all made of energy and are connected.  Great way to describe the body of Christ at a sub-atomic level.  (My connection, not hers)  I'm confused on why she uses the language she does.  To me, swearing is not lifting up others.

There have been a few points that I've written down to work on for myself.  She does an excellent job in breaking down large goals into big size chunks.  I've felt that that has been one of my strong points, but I haven't realized how many people struggle with that. 

Join Ginny on Yarn Along.

Yarn Along

The baptismal gown is on hold.  I finished the gown portion and realized that the gauge was way too big, even for my babies.  So, after tearing it all out, I've started again.

To offset my disappointment on redoing the gown, I finished my running hat.  First time doing a Fairisle pattern.  I wore it on a run the other day and it worked beautifully.

Since finishing the hat, I've cast on a sweater for myself.  It's the Wallaby Pattern by Cottage Creations.

Re-reading "Large Family Logistics" by Kim Brenneman.  With each pregnancy, I feel that I need to simplify even more.
 

For more Yarn Along's, check out Ginny's Blog.