EasyTeacher Gift

 These days life is fast. Between band, swimming, orchestra, and writing books, and all other things (I'm stopping with that because I'm getting tired just by writing it) there hasn't been much time for about anything other than a fast craft here a fast craft there, spend time with family and then do it all over again. So this is right up my alley on fast quick get it done and off the to do list and we get to give our teachers (who deserve a freaking award and chocolate cake to go with said award) a nice home made gift that literally took me like less than 5 minutes to make (the tote bag, the zipper bag only took like 20 because I can make it in my sleep because I make them all the time)

So here's how to make a super simple tote that will take less than 5 minutes to make. I've seen bags like this done with embroidery floss and those are super cute! But takes more time than i have…sooooo enter our super fast version:

materials needed:

 -Bag from Walmart ($2.96) or Joanns has them as well and you can buy a 3 pack on Amazon if you have multiple teachers you want to make bags for.

-FABRIC PENS from joann's are like $6 or on  Amazon  (wow, those are priced more than joann's! Go to Joann's people)

-Ruler, washable pen or pencil

On the bag I went off the outside part of the handle and drew a red line down. (or you can make dashes like it was done on the header picture)

Next I marked with the blue pen every 2" and then proceeded to draw line the dashed line with my ruler as my guide.

-Next with the washable pen (or pencil) I lightly wrote the name in cursive so I could make sure I liked the placement if I didn't then I could erase the pen with lightly damping the fabric.
*note: the fabric pen will run if you wet the fabric right after you draw on the canvas. Let the marker air dry and let it set before you try to remove the erasable marker. And when you do just lightly dab.
-Lastly draw on top of your temporary written name.

DONE!!!!

Have a little bit of time? You can make a fun little extra by using my Color block zipper pouch pattern and embellishing it a little!

Buy the Color block Zipper Pouch here

-Make the zipper pouch just like the instructions in the pattern, I used Moda's ruler fabric. (I believe the fabric is called potluck by Sandy Klop. :) 

-Measure 2" from the left side, and draw a dashed line in red, then measure down every 1" and make a marking with the blue marker. This will be your guide for the blue dashed lines. 

-Mark just like you did on the canvas bag the name of the teacher. 

-Drawn on top of temporary marked name. 

Totally awesome gift for your awesome teacher. In no time! :) 

this kid is 14

As I look back on life with this kid, I get emotional. Where we are today, is a dream come true. But without our past years of heartache and stress, and emotional roller coaster of a ride with this kid, I don't think I would have the kid I have today.
This truly is a success story of a kid that went to hell and back and lives today a better person because of it.
At the age of 14.

 If you are a long time reader you know what I'm talking about. For those that haven't been around for the long haul, it's okay. We don't need to link back to past posts where I cried my eyes out as I watched and HURT so much for this child as he suffered with debilitating anxiety, social awkwardness, and being bullied. The physical parts alone, like not being able to stop the involuntary body movements long enough (aka ticks) that made everyday normal, take for granted actions, like getting a glass of milk from the table to his mouth... one of the hardest things to accomplish, or watching my once happy child go "blank" from emotions and become a nothing but a shell of who he used to be to cope with his dad's deployment and being made fun of and bullied for his physical ticks. To know, that everything I felt I tried to do, would be met with anger/sadness, not being able to fix it, and feeling like I was being blamed for most of what was going on...was just downright miserable. For him and I. Well, for a lot of people especially our family.
See, we talk now. And laugh off how insanely hard those couple of years were.

His laughter...I actually can remember VIVIDLY the first time I actually heard him laugh again after such a loooong time. It was in Fifth grade, his dad was home about a year and half from the deployment, and we had decided we were going to stay for the long haul in the middle of nowhere. Life became safe again to him, and I heard him laugh from the other room.
I stopped dead in my tracks, got thoroughly confused as to who's laughter I was hearing. Then I smiled and cried...but for completely different reasons than the ones I had cried for the last few years.

And well now? As an 8th Grader. And after moving across the country to the midwest...It's insane that we ever went through that. Who he is now, is who I remember before all of that. That silly happy little kid, that...well...the kid I felt I lost for a few years.

So with that long introduction (and with tears and snot dripping down my face)...here's my right now for you:

RIGHT NOW:

*You are doing great in school. This is the year I got the call from a teacher saying "Your kid just came up to me and said 'I think I got it.'" Yeah, kid I think you do. You've got all A's and B's 

*You are in band and play the trumpet.

*You LOVE playing the trumpet... you just taught yourself how to play Greenday's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"

*Have I mentioned you love playing the trumpet? You play "Taps" for us every night around 9 pm. (your siblings think it's kind of annoying...secretly your dad and I think its hilarious)

*You have a few really GREAT friends. THIS alone makes me cry. To watch you with friends, is wonderful.

*You really love to do art as well, you draw really well.

*You love little kids (this is something I've known since you were a little kid) Now it's very apparent that you have an extra sense of patience with little toddlers. You are great with little kids.

*You are very aware of when others are being left out or bullied, you go out of your way to make sure they feel included. 

*There have been instances where I'm just floored with your maturity of a matter at hand. Perfect example would be when someone accused you of making fun of them, we talked about it, figured out the individual just didn't want to be there so he picked you as the scapegoat so he could leave. We decided together as a family that you would go to this person's home and apologize for any misunderstanding or any impression that you might have given off that would have come across as making fun. This individual said you hadn't, (much to the caretakers amazement that he lied), and you then invited him again to come back if he wanted to because it was great to see him there. I don't know too many adults that can or would do that.

*You don't care for chocolate. This I don't understand but tolerate.

*You love music. Anything from instrumental, to modern day you appreciate it and like to pick out the parts of each musical instrument. Imagine Dragons are one of your fav bands.

*You are a great baby sitter. 

*You are finding Spirituality all on your own. You ponder and study scriptures, say prayers, and help out with family home evening. You have just been released from being Deacon's Quorum President.  (a responsibility in our church held by a boy of the age 12-13) You have grown much in the last two years.

*You stand up for yourself now. Last year a kid started picking on you, I got the phone call saying you had fought back. I told them I was proud that you had stood up for yourself, then we figured out how to make it so this individual wouldn't bother you anymore...we have a wonderful school system here...oh and btw you told me you are kind to that kid now when you see him in the halls.

*You tell me often you love me. As a matter of fact you tell all of us you love us often. It's always heartwarming when you tell me and your dad...but when I hear you from another room tell your siblings randomly it makes me feel like I haven't failed as a mother.

*You have a great sense of humor.

*You laugh ALL.THE.TIME now. 

*Your teachers and counselor at school have also seen a ton of personal growth in the last two and half years. (so it's not just me being your mom saying all this crap) 

*I couldn't be prouder to be your mom.

Don't get me wrong you're still a snot nosed teenager at times with normal teen mood swings and short fuses...but we don't care, we Love you and are so lucky to know you and know where you came back from. 

Happy Birthday kiddo. 

ps: I know there's a lot of people who have rooted for you in the past that are very happy to see how well you've adjusted to life and who you have shaped out to be. 

a little love

i heart you quilt pattern and textured pillows pattern braided pillow shown

 Well! I do have to say that you guys were cracking me up on the last post with some of the crap your kids have said! WOW!!!! Fantabulous! And thanks for making me laugh!!

So with Valentine's being kind of around the corner I thought I would do a little highlight on my I heart you pattern. 

 This pattern was created with my pink ombre fabric. But you don't have to use it if you don't want to! If you want to buy my pink ombre fabric find it here , and here. I would also check your local quilt stores! I have a little left I'm hoarding, till I can add it again to another fabric line (ahem a little forshadowment!)
It's created using HST (half square triangles.) And a whole heck of a lot of chain piecing. Personally I love chain piecing because I can sit and power through a lot of blocks and feel totally accomplished when it's all said and done.

This quilt comes in two sizes one is 54" x 54" (shown and yes! It totally hangs in my daughter's room when it's not traveling with me to trunk shows and lectures) and a HUGE one of 108" x 108" which would be perfect for snuggling with your loved one (or ones...as is the case with us because our kids end up crawling into bed with us in the mornings...)

faux pleated pillow featured from the textured pillows pattern

And for a limited time I'm offering a 30% off discount on this PDF pattern. Just enter LOVE30 at the check out for instant gratification of downloading the pattern and saving money while doing so. :)

Don't  want to spend money? Or can't?? It's okay, I totally hear ya! So, here's a few free past valentines V and Co. tutorials. 

French Knot Heart Pin Cushion

Reverse Applique Pleated Heart Pillow

Painted Heart Bag

Gathered Heart Pillow

I'm getting ready for my turn on the Vintage Block Revival tour tomorrow. Also I'm working on a couple of free tutorials, a couple new patterns, and a new line for the fall, and a HUGE project. So yes, you'll be hearing from me. :)
Oh and of course I have a few more stories to tell...we'll talk soon

what a year 2013

click on the image to see slide show

This isn't everything I made this year, not even close, but its a pretty close, and slightly fast...enough to cause a seizure (my husband swears he gets threatened to have one every time he looks at it.)

This year was kind of interesting to look back on. I feel like I've hardly let you in to my world on a personal note. These past two years I've been struggling with the balance  of expressing my opinions on parenting, our struggles and triumphs in daily happenings as an individual, and letting you in behind the scenes of the "brand of V and Co." (which is where we have been led to here today thanks to all these years of blogging and hard work)
So to fix that...we've been in the works over here in creating a new website (as a "professional" part of the V and Co. brand) and then I can keep this as just my personal blog where I continue to show you what I made, show a few how to's and talk freely as a mother trying to look at the funny side of things to make this journey of life more of a laughing "HAha oh my gosh that totally just happened." Instead of "oh my gosh that totally just happened I want to curl up and die." moments.

It's interesting, this whole blogging thing. Here I started as a struggling mom of 4 little ones, with a deployed husband, sewing and praying my way to happiness, and putting EVERYTHING in my heart on this blog. Span 7 years later, what we have is a mom, with a pretty wonderfully boring life of daily struggles, kids in school, husband at work, getting to sew as a job, but guarding, and feeling stressed about putting my heart on the blog because the internet has changed so so rapidly.
It feels to me like there's a lurking debate waiting to happen/explode if you express any kind of...well anything.
I'm not a very confrontational person. And hardly ever (except a few small instances) have I felt confronted on my blog or anywhere on MY social media outlets connected to me personally. But observing as other bloggers (the non professional... and not the professional bloggers hired out by medias that want to stir the pot) I watch on my Facebook feed or other social media sites, become a frenzy and posts that pop up contesting and "in answer to" an original blog post that would have if not for all this chaos created after the post, not even made a blip on the radar, over night watch them get slammed and then slammed a 100 times fold, (and I speak that I've seen it down both sides of the aisle, every single side is guilty of this) I watched and observed as others either jump on to defend or to tear down that person's post... and this became too much for me. So I quietly stayed in my corner these last two years afraid to write anything about anything. It made me cry a lot trying to make myself write on the blog. How Stupid is that?
But how real is this?
Yes, I have my views. 
BUT, I approach every situation and every individuals point of view trying to see it, and make sense of their view as well.  It has made me a very humbled individual, in realizing often times both sides have merit truths to their feelings and opinions. My way isn't the only way. 
I wish others would feel this way when they spew out hate and bile towards someones views.

Is this a post where I come out saying in this coming new year "it's all about to change and I'm going to take my anxiety of social media backlash and tell people to stuff it where the sun don't shine!"?
Uh, No. My life isn't a movie, it's not a tv show, and it's not a book where the end totally turns it around and you feel empowered by the main characters courage.

No, at the end of the day its real life, a real person, with a lot of insecure emotions. I most definitely  do not have "tougher skin". It's much easier to say I'll just pop in here randomly to show you a few pretty pictures of projects I've worked on for someone else's magazine, book, company, or for new patterns. MUCH easier and safer.

I'm still scared to write about us like I used to. To be honest, as I continue to write this I'm having hives/dry mouth/want to make it all better by rocking back and forth in a comforting sort of motion in the corner... contemplating "Is this too much? Are people going to think I'm complaining, or weak, obnoxious? " or even worse "Is THIS going to spark a backlash somehow?"

If you know me in real life you know that this is a daily battle I have with myself. Sometimes its worse than other times.  I am (oh she's going to show that she's a therapist's wife) a White personality, a people pleaser, a smoother of any ruffled feathers kind of person. It pains me to be assertive (for reals) and only become completely assertive stick to my guns when it comes to defending my family and the things I care most about, BUT only when I feel it to be important to correct a misunderstanding. Otherwise I do not feel the need to waste others and my time in arguing. Like I've mentioned before I look at the other persons perspective as well. You would also know that I constantly hide behind my sarcastic trying to put a funny spin on situations. That's who I am. And why I will never try to cause waves, and never try to out right offend. It seems though with the ongoing social media storm, stirring, brewing, lurking, waiting to explode, at some point I will unintentionally offend. And heaven help me all I want to do is make you smile,  feel like you can do that project with me, and to assure you that yes it's normal to feel  that parenting can be the hardest and worst thing in the world, AND be the best most fulfilling, fill your heart and soul with purpose and meaning and happiness kind of deal as well.

I want to just let go, write like I used to, and not be scared.  And you know what? Perhaps now is the time to say "I can". And if I still have panic attack like feelings over it, perhaps looking into starting up drinking...becoming a drunk to let go of my inhibitions and write while intoxicated.... or look into getting some mental health (hey I know a good therapist!) and get pumped up with anxiety meds to the point of making my world into world of puffy pink marshmallow clouds and everyone turns into muppet character might be the way to go. Or I could just take each day as it comes, and slowly work it out while encouraging and telling myself  "Seriously? I'm freaking out over nothing I'm not that controversial, and come on...some funny shiz happens to me. And ps: I'm not that kind of blog."
So...maybe you do get the end of the book turn around as you had hoped for. (all five of you still reading this, hi mom!)

So, yes, watch for the "new website to show up. I don't know when but it's coming. And watch for a few more "hey this is what I'm working on!" and "HEY look WHAT HAPPENED TO ME this weekend." of these kinds of posts as well. When I feel like I can handle it.
I think it's safe to say I'm still struggling to figure out how much to put out there these days and of course the balance of this blog between personal and professional...but, I'll move forward cautiously. It's just who I am.

So for this next year my short phrase of encouragement (no resolutions here) is:
"Be graceful, respectful and learn from what is thrown at you, good and bad." 
Yeah. I think that'll do.
Happy New years from this gal and here's to 2014 with some fun projects and some bumps, up and down, along the way.
Thanks for listening.

Then and Now Christmas

This is my all time favorite picture of my kids. 

It kills me because I don't have a high resolution jpg of it so I can't make it a large print. 

This picture actually brings tears to my eyes just thinking about that time. 

It was taken in 2009 Jake was deployed. We were going through some serious emotional "hell" with our oldest one. But for a moment in these pictures I took we looked normal, with no problems.

 Between Jake being over seas, me being a single parent, and watching my child go from a happy child to...just...not being who he used to be, and watch him struggle socially, physically, and emotionally... well it pretty much about destroyed me. It was the darkest time in my life to date. But, now, looking back at that time, 5 years now, I can honestly say, it didn't break me. I feel like I learned a lot about myself. And it made my oldest child, one resilient, and pretty amazing young man. 

So, this picture brings up a lot of emotions and naturally I wanted to recreate that pose so I could have a better high resolution picture of my favorite picture ever of my children. 

And well...

at first they totally were like: 

All kind of smart mouthing each other to do what I told them because we were all cold and wanted to go inside.

The husband came out and was like "Guys seriously the quicker you comply the quicker this is over. DO.WHAT.YOUR.MOTHER.WANTS.YOU.TO.DO."

okay that's better... but seriously they were totally on the "Stiff" side. Loosen up please!

The husband then says "come on guys, just act natural!"
And I don't have a clue what hand gesture or body movement my husband did when he said that...but what they all did at the same time was this:

Apparently that's acting natural? okay I guess i'll take it. 

In no way shape or form can I get my family to even in a picture pretend that we are a normal happy family. I guess I'll just be very happy that we are a slightly un-normal happy family. Which we are. And even though we are a family that has gone through a few ups and downs...we are very aware of our blessings. Even in the lowest points in our journey, we look at our experiences as blessings given to us to learn from.

The minute I sighed and said "Okay, I think, I got at least one. Guys, I think we're d......

...done. Guys???" 

I turned to the husband and he looks at me and asks "Did you really get one? Or do I need to get them all back out here."

"Yeah, I got it. It's not like the other picture, but it's okay." And then I was grateful for having him here with me. To deal with the boogers we call our children. Who bring us so much happiness, sadness, disappointment and pride. They are hard little things to take care of all the time.  But man I wouldn't change places with anyone. I love my Blessing of Life.

I'm grateful for snapshots of our past. I'm also grateful for our experiences that we leave in the past. They mold us to who we become today. So instead of trying to recreate a picture or an experience, I'm just going to keep moving forward, and be grateful for the wonderful little people they have and continue to become.

They're my special little people. And I love them. And we want to wish you all,  friends and family, a Very Merry Christmas from our very un normal and so far from perfect but trying hard to be a good family.
the Christensons. 

how to make: Christmas Stockings

Hey so guess what.
My calendar...totally broken. It says that there's only 7 days left till Christmas.
HA...yeah I know. I KNOW. Okay?! Sheesh. Where did the time go?
I guess its okay. I'm not the best winter season person, and this year it's COLD. And snowy and COLD.
So of course lets throw out there a project for you if you want to spruce up your mantle a little bit on the last minute side shall we?

Over at the We All Sew Bernina Blog I give step by step with pictures how to make these stockings. 

I used my ombre stripe from my newest fabric collection "Color me Happy" which wont come out till March, BUT I also include instructions on how to create your own ombre stripe if you want them to look like these featured RIGHT NOW. :)

 Also I'd like to point out that my little Trees kind of match my stockings....and now my pillow...I just bought teal dye so maybe i'll add some more little trees to the colorful forest here soon.
I followed the tutorial online from last year, but since then it's no longer available. So here's the next closest tutorial I just found to give you a link to how to do it. And I kind of like her ombre look...maybe i'll do that next time. Also I've not been successful in finding the little bottle trees with the wood base. So if anyone knows where to get those, please indulge me...but only if it's at a store I can get to. Otherwise, you'll just frustrate me more...and we don't want to frustrate the Vanessa...she gets weepy and sad. Kidding but not really. okay...

 So yeah for now this is what I have on my little forest of bleached and dyed trees...and I'm all kinds of festively coordinating over here now that I've added new stockings and a pillow this year!
Wonder what I'll decide that I need to do next year? I guess we'll see next year, cause this season is almost behind us.

Now if you don't mind me I have to avoid all Christmas treats that keep coming to our door, and continue to finish up my leave to the last minute teacher gifts....but i'm almost done so I'll show you those soon too. 

Hope you are having a less rushed holiday season than I'm experiencing! 

We'll talk soon.

Christmas stockings how to here.

He's 12 and he loves Domo

 My second Noisemaker turns 12 today.
I can't really wrap my head around that but it's true.
The other night I caught all my kids looking at the computer laughing. I asked them what they were looking at and one of them answered "We're reading about the UGLY Christmas tree." And then one of the other ones says "Mom, you need to write more of our stories again."
Man, talk about a slap in the face.
It also has occured to me that I've not written any "right now's" in a couple of years.
If nothing else it gives us a good place to look back through the years and gives us snap shots of the kids each year. So if you don't mind I'm going to do that again.
My kids have grown and matured so much these last two years that I should write about it. And I will. :)

so this said noisemaker that has a birthday today...really likes domo's so of course last minute I tried to attempt to make one.

I had a sick kid home today so we couldn't really venture out and that's when I realized I don't have like any brown fabric! 

Literally this was the only brown fabric I had.

And it's not cotton...it's fake leather sort of fabric.

So it's thick

 I learned a lot trying to make this guy. In the middle of it I had to turn it around just to see how cute he was coming out or even IF he was coming out cute! I turned him inside out after I finished sewing the arms in (and btw KUDOS to my BERNINA for being able to handle 4 layers of thick fake leather as if it ate that many layers for breakfast!)  Anyways, first try I had sewn up the head... but in the middle of thinking about turning it back outside in, I had a "oh crap..." moment of how the heck am I going to get all those body parts out of a tiny little hole?!

So I turned his insides back out on to the outsides and unpicked his head sewed the legs in...and...

 TADA!
He's not perfect, but he's totally going to be a great present!
AND I know what to do differently and I'll try a few other things next time! Oh you know there's going to be a next time. The other kids are going to think I need to make everyone of them one...

 So yes, this guy was a success. And add a cute Domo cake that my neighbor made for us...

 Makes for a Domo-tastic Birthday!
HMMMM... doesn't that look like Domo is trying to eat a Domo cake! NO! Don't do it Domo!!!

okay well here's a few Right Nows for my Domo loving 12 year old:

right now:
*You are in 6th grade, are loving middle school, and have some great friends at church and school.
*You play the cello and LOVE instrumental music like  The Piano Guys and 2Cellos but your absolute fav band at the moment is Imagine Dragons

*You love Domo, the color green, and your favorite home cooked meal is Tacos
*You currently wear glasses and braces. And you don't care that you wear glasses and braces. :)
*You love to read.
*You love to be around friends.
*You are in the LEGO league at school and you love it.
*You are a great babysitter to your younger siblings and a good friend to your older brother.
*You have a quick sense of of wit and can pull off some pretty funny zingers.
*You can sew a really great 1/4" seam.
*You are my go to photographer when I need someone to take a picture of me holding a project.
(and you have an awesome eye for it)
*You love to snowboard, swim, and have been training to run cross country next year.
*You are a very loving son, and brother. You pay attention to others emotions and you act upon them.
* You already have big college goals. BYU is your top choice of school to get into.
*I never have to get on you to do your school work. There's been only a handful of times I've had to have words with you about not getting things done.
*You quietly serve others.

We are very happy with who you are molding yourself to be, we appreciate your witty smart mouth comments and your love of learning.
We are blessed to have you in our family.

ps: and no I don't have a picture of you right now...you may like taking pictures but you hate being in them. Btw start preparing for it cause family pictures are coming. You've been forewarned.

okay NOW, lets go eat some DOMO!

V and Co: lucky stars christmas pillow

Christmas is like right around the corner.
I'm not ready.

But the good news is we have our christmas tree up.
No, unfortunately (and yes quite sad actually) these last two years we've not had any funny stories to tell about picking out a tree and letting the kids decorate it while I learn to "let go and embrace the fugly" tree and it's decor. And sadly we don't have any stories of me thinking a MAMOTH of a tree is what our little home is needing.
This year we have our boring Target fake tree.
And I've changed the smelly wax warmer to "spruce" so we get the fake smells of a real tree.
I
know
booooooring.
But don't worry, I still have some stories to tell.
Have you noticed I've been blogging again? *tap tap* Anyone still out there?
OH HI!
Yes, it's been a while, but I feel like I'm slowly emerging and figuring out how to do the whole work AND blogging thing. It's taken me a little bit of time, but thanks for hanging in there.
Anywho...I've been meaning to talk about my Zumba accident.
yes, I had one.
But thats for another day.

Okay, moving on to the matter at hand:

 lucky stars is really becoming one of my all time favorite pattern I've made.
And while I was staring at it I decided i wanted a christmas lucky stars pillow.

 So I made a block from the pattern...and then I made it into a slip cover.

And well, I freaking love it. 

 But honestly, I think i need to make a couple more, because as cute as it looks in my arm chair in my living room...the rest of the couches kind of need a few of these throw pillows as well.

So maybe I'll have a little bit of time before Christmas actually gets here to make a couple more...or maybe I should like focus on doing some of my Christmas shopping.
What's more important here? Thats right decorating.
We'll talk soon.

around here

So it totally snowed and snowed yesterday. Made me a little grumpy. So to kind of cheer me up I started working on teacher Christmas gifts.
Sort of worked.
 Oh I have learned over the years to tolerate winter. Trust me. But with snow comes days filled of shoveling. And while I no longer am JUST shoveling like years past it's still a hard on you chore. And yes, because I'm totally lazy and keep the makeup on that I wore the night before I do in fact look like a cross between these two:

Mind you the hair is spot on. Well, a little shorter and larger...but you get the gist. 

Last year we bought a snowblower. We're true Iowans now. (Perhaps a few steps closer?) 

But lets be honest...that snowblower thing? Its more of a pain in my rear to maneuver than me just shoveling. Yet the husband insists its a faster solution especially since he's not here all day long to take care of the issue. 

But really that's not a bad thing. Seriously who really wants to see me in that state anyways? No one is home but the cat and the dog and while the cat mocks me with looks of "Are you going to stay looking that? You know you look like Alice Cooper right?" I normally just look at her and say "Shut up, don't judge me." But clearly she's judging. It's all good, I got back at her by putting a flowery looking collar on her. 

She hates it. And actually it's made her more judgy. now that I think about it.

And I tell her so.

And then I realize I'm talking to the cat. 

And then I tell myself "It's better than talking to yourself."

"Wait does that count as talking to myself?"

"Shoot! there I go again."

"STOP IT!"

And then I look at the cat and tell her "QUIT JUDGING ME."

She just comes back with "You gonna put a pair of normal pants on or are you going to call those sweatpants you wore to bed your outfit today?"

on going cycle of crazy.

And a cat that's going to make me go to therapy with her abuse.

 Tomorrow will be spent yelling kindly but forcefully telling the kids to clean up their rooms while mom makes her pies, mashed potatoes and whatever else I can get done the day before Thanksgiving.
And yes, thank you for remembering our fiasco last year with the dog and the apple pie. In fact every time we mention thanksgiving, apple pie, or even apples...its like clockwork, someone in the family starts with adding salt to the wound by bringing it up with "Hey remember that one time when Buck totally DESTROYED mom?! I mean destroyed the PIE mom made?"
Good times.
Now I feel like going and double fisting chocolate.

 Thanksgiving is in fact been my favorite holiday of the year.
All that gratitude and stuff...but really...
I really love pumpkin pie.
I think that's the only reason I love thanksgiving so much.
And that gratitude stuff and family togetherness as well.
But mainly its about the pumpkin pie.

 This is also the holiday season that these lovelies show up. I'm not the only one that looooooooves these clementines either.
My kids go into "Hunger Game" mode when these show up and I can't seem to keep them around for more than a nano second. Only reason why theres an actual picture of these here, is because I just bought them and the kids aren't home yet.
I've already had like 5 of them.
I guess it's better than us all fighting over and going through that many Big Macs this season. (see gratitude stuff)

fabric by Robert Kaufman pattern Lucky Stars

Also with Thanksgiving being so late this year...it's kind of thrown me in for a loop. It's cool though,
cause I may not have hardly any of my shopping done...but I've got the start of my lucky stars christmas pillows already done.
bam.

You ready?