The Chloe Quilt

For some reason, this quilt took me forever to complete! It's practically a whole cloth quilt so you would think I could finish it in a snap. I don't know what happened. My machine is really failing me at this point. There is something wrong with the shank and foot. It doesn't raise up that much. I distinctly remember I pulled on it or pushed it up one time and felt a resistance and thought, Uh oh... That was a while ago.

I've been in the market for a new machine for a long long long time. I'm too lazy to figure out when I started talking about it on this blog but let's just say that it's probably been two years or more. I currently have a $200 Singer. Even the one my 13 year old neighbor got at Costco is better than what I have. I just don't know where to start. Singer, Janome, Bernina, Husqvrana, Babylock, Brother, Pfaff-- the list goes on and on. Not to mention that I would love to have a long arm machine someday. I noticed a machine on someone's blog the other day so I called up the Bernina dealer and asked how much it was... $6000! HELLO! So at least I know where to start-- PRICE! I decided I have about $600-$800 to spend on a machine. Using that as a guide I can basically afford the lowest end of the "good" machines. I could get a Bernina that doesn't do anything. I can get a Husqvarna for $1000 if I buy the floor model. I'm thinking about a Babylock since I can afford one that actually does some stuff. Does anyone have any recommendations for a machine in that price range?

Surviving

I survived a week of no school for Talia. While it's really difficult to satisfy the needs of a 1 year old and a 4 year old at the same time, I think we did really well. Factors that helped:

1. Alex has been taking really great (2 hours+) naps.
2. I've just hired my cleaning people to come every week instead of every other week.
3. I also hired a babysitter to come once a week.
4. Ron was off of work on Memorial Day.
5. Since Talia wasn't in school she did not nap and went to sleep relatively easily at 8:30 (ok, 9) pm instead of kicking and screaming at 10:30pm. That gave Ron and me some time together each night.
6. Nice weather hasn't hurt either.

Now that I'm less stressed about the house-- and able to keep it more manageable on a daily basis I feel like I have more energy to give to the kids. During Alex's nap I am really sitting down with Talia and playing board games, doing puzzles, having tea parties etc. It's hard because she wants to have a tea party for about 10 hours but she seems mostly satisfied with what I can give her.

I still have grand plans for things I want to do together, like the garden for example. It's disappointing that I have to drag her out there (she still wants to stay inside and chill in pj's all day) but of course she has fun when we do go. I also realize that I'm a bit of a control freak and it's hard for me to let her dig the holes and drop the seeds in. What I really want is for her to do some parallel play while I'm doing the gardening. We did make a fairy garden in a big flower pot and she picked out all the flowers and design. She likes to bring some little dolls or fairies to play there but there isn't more digging to be done for it. What I need to do is give her a pot and dirt and let her do her own thing and not freak out if she gets dirty and not worry that she's wasting seeds or dirt or whatever. It just sucks that I get frustrated when whatever silly fantasy I had about tilling the earth with my children comes up short. Ok, I paid someone to till my soil and build my garden bed but hey, it probably wouldn't have gotten done otherwise.

We now have 12 days with no school coming up. Yes, TWELVE. Ron has two days off so he will be around for 6 of the 12 days. We have some scheduled activities (swimming, gymnastics, a playdate or two) and at least one day with the babysitter. I'm ok with not being able to get any sewing done (I've been on a roll!). Hopefully everyone will stay healthy and we can have a really nice time slipping into our summer lives. Well, there was a frost warning last night...

hybrid!

My first new car! We bought a Toyota Hybrid Highlander. It's pretty cool. Of course, my favorite feature is that I can type in a "to do list" on the computer monitor while I'm driving. THAT is awesome. Then when I get in the car the screen says "Get milk" or "go to the bank."

The car is NOT that big honestly. With the two car seats in, I can also sit in the back AND buckle my seat belt (which I couldn't do in the Mazda) but I can't fold down the second row seat to get to the third row (which is generally folded in the floor). This means that we will have to unbuckle the car seat to put people in the backy-back, although last night our friends just climbed in through the trunk... but they are an agile pair.

I feel so good about buying the hybrid. It's something that Ron and I talked about for so long. The truth is, I shouldn't feel so good. I mean, it's only money. If we didn't have it (well, we DON'T have it, but will soon) then we wouldn't have bought the car.

things i want to buy when i move

a serger
deep freezer
really nice knives
a heated towel rack
digital SLR camera
really nice linens-- sheets, towels, etc.
summer weight down comforter
high tech coffemaker?
nice bath products
lots of organizational tools, ie the entire container store...
good recycle bins and trash cans
a window seat
a porch swing
lots of plants
cool shoes
really nice porch furniture
locker style in the mudroom?
mail oragnization place