Sibling gifts

The last couple of birthdays have included a new activity around the World of Wiedz. A lot of planning and sketching and hidden making time. So cute!

#1 is the most involved at this point. #2 could care less and really hasn't jumped in yet. #3 was very thoughtful and specific about what he wanted to do. #4 is very last minute about his gifts but so determined!

#3's birthday was a couple of weeks ago and included a couple handmade, sibling gifts.

#4 insisted on making a stuffed shoe. We got home from taking #3 to his speech school ON his birthday and #4 saw #1 finishing her gift and just had to join in! I drew a shoe shape, cut it out of muslin, stitched it together, let him draw all over the outside...

He insisted the green across the shoe reads "happy birthday [#3] from [#4]!" So cute!

Then stuffed it nice and full... I finished it off with a whip-stitch and we were in business.

#1 on the other hand had planned out her gift for many weeks...though it did take us until that very day to get it finished! Our #3 is crazy about soccer so #1 made him a soccer ball pillow. I used this project to finish off a couple of Girl Scout requirements. She was really pleased with how it came out.

So was he!

Since we're all here, I might as well show off the sibling-made gifts for #2 and #4's birthdays many months ago...

#3 made #2 a bookmark (inspired by Soulemama's Homemade Home or The Creative Family, I can't remember and don't want to spend my internet time figuring out which one :)) and made #4 a pillow with a spider drawn on it. He was very proud of both and helped or did the work himself!

#1 used a book from the library as her inspiration for new warmy bags for each of her brothers. Decorated with fabric pens to match them in personality and likes. She sewed them herself too!

I'm loving this new tradition and will work on nurturing it both in creativity and the attitude of giving. Though I may try to get things done before the DAY of a birthday!

Wiedz Wonder

After we had packed up and helped clean the rental house on Sunday of Cousins Weekend Mr. Wiedz and I took the kids out on Wiedz Wonder to do some more crabbing. I had never been out on the boat so I was excited to spend a couple hours out there. The kids had all had a turn or two but it had been a week or more *gasp* and they were all ready to go!

Mr. Wiedz had to work a lot harder with just us family on the boat as he was the only one who could throw or pull crab pots. I got a lesson on boat driving and I wouldn't say it was easy but I definitely improved...Mr. Wiedz didn't have a choice but to keep letting me try, he can't drive and pull pots!

Of course there are all kinds of science and nature study out on the boat. Everyone watched over the sides to find animals and plants that are living under the surface. There were some spots that were quite shallow as well so you could see the tides affect on the sand of the ocean floor. #1 was working on her oceanography badge for girl scouts so we tried noticing the plants, animals, pollution, tides, water, and other things so she could meet the requirements of her badge.

Everyone had a job when Mr. Wiedz was bringing in the crab. I was driving. #1 was next to me making sure no crab were tossed or loose near her. #2 was in charge of the cooler lid, open for Mr. Wiedz to toss in a legal crab. #3 supervised #2 and Mr. Wiedz making sure they both knew crab were on the boat. #4 sat out of the way. And #5 slept. It was a well-oiled machine.

#2 commented that time on the boat was really nice and that they didn't even fight while on the boat. Everyone did do a fantastic job! It was such a pleasant way to spend the late morning. We also had great weather that day, another Oregon rarity!

We got the boat back to the launch and I left Mr. Wiedz to get everything settled while I fed #5. #1 was a huge help and the boys waited patiently for their turn to get off the boat. We stretched our legs, used the facilities, washed our hands, got out the snacks and headed for home...where the real work began.

The boat trip was fantastic! And it's a good thing that it was because there is so much work involved with taking the boat out like that! We stopped along the way when we saw a deep boat launch and got the boat in enough to run the motor through with fresh river water to flush the salt water out. Then at home we unloaded, scrubbed the boat inside and out and dried the boat!

We were tired but had another delicious crab dinner last night!

Another Step Closer

I've always wanted to make my kids Christmas pajamas. They have opened Christmas Eve jammies for many years but the jammies have always come from the store. Last year I got pants made (I have a picture but not on this computer - maybe I'll fix that later . Nope, can't figure it out). From Soulemama's pattern/book/tutorial. They turned out pretty good, though some of them only fit for a little bit.

I tried again before #5 was born and have had true success with his little pants (I'm needing to make more - on the to-do list).

While Soulemama's pants are easy there isn't really a "pattern" which could be the reason for some of my success/non-success.

#1 took a Girl Scout sewing class at the beginning of August. They took them to the fabric store to pick out their own fabric. Then took them through measuring to find the right size and cutting out the pattern pieces for a pair of pajama pants.

During girly weekend #1 made herself a second pair of pants which turned out really nice. While we were at the fabric store she picked out the same pattern they'd used at Girl Scouts. It had a matching top. I had her pick fabric that would match both pairs of pants and told her I'd have a go at the shirt pattern.

I had to wait until #5 went down for the night but while #1 was watching her Barbie movie I started cutting out and folowing the directions! Not too long after she went to bed (read movie over and then some) I had finished a jammie shirt in nice soft flannel.


So excited! Even more so that this is a uni-sex pattern and so I'm one step closer to mama-made Christmas Eve jammies! Now to find cute, coordinating Christmas-y fabric that's not too expensive and find a nightgown pattern (the other part of my Christmas jammie wishlist - a gown for my girl).

Girls Weekend

While our boys took a trip to the woods #1, #5 and I spent the weekend in true girly fashion. Poor #5 doesn't get to go on the boys trip for quite a few years, I think I may need to find a Grandma to keep him for the next couple as the girly things will no longer be interesting in the coming years.

We started with a box of "frost and glow" for #1. My sister, Aunt AS* does hair but has a rule that won't allow her girls to have color treatment until they are older. With that rule she didn't think it fair to do #1's hair. Agreed.

I was planning on spraying hydrogen peroxide in her hair on a sunny day until my mom said it would ruin her hair and suggested this familiar box. This is what she used to use on me when I was young and wanting to try something new.





I have no pictures of the process since once I started it was a race to the top of her head to get it done before all the hair at the base of her neck fell out. As you can see I didn't really do too much. There are some spots that could be better but she is thrilled and expects she'll look just like Taylor Swift for Halloween.

Our meals consisted of a couple sandwich and chips combos as well as a treat to Dickie Jos and chicken from Dairy Mart. Hardly no cooking and I didn't do dishes until Sunday! I'm not saying I didn't need to dishes until Sunday...full disclosure you see.

We spent most of Friday out in town shopping. Spending a lot of time in the JoAnns Fabric store picking up what we'd need for the rest of our planned weekend.

To finish off shopping/spa day I gave #1 a mini manicure/pedicure. She'd seen french manicured false nails somewhere and wanted the same look. I told her french manicures were only for girly weekends as they took too much concentration for when the boys were around and on a normal day I was too tired to do something that complicated after bedtime. She was thrilled with the results!

My two easy children stayed in bed and cuddled in bed with me until we were just plain good and ready to get up. A true treat for the mama!

Saturday: Let Craft Day begin!!!!

#1 had actually spent three days last week at Girl Scouts sewing day-camp making a pair of pajama pants. She enjoyed it so much and had success with the pattern that she wanted to do it again. We got the necessary pattern and fabric on our shopping day and #1 set to making a new pair of pants on her own.

When she got to a tricky part of the pattern I tried to get her to slow down and think through the directions with me. In true #1 fashion she just steamed ahead saying, "I'll just do it like we did at Girl Scouts."

Of course if she'd have slowed down she would have realized that I was trying to get her to see that her right sides weren't together so when she got done doing it her way she had to sit and ripe the seam out. It took all the restraint I had not to do a little "neener neener neener, I told you so" dance. (I did post it on facebook but that doesn't count-my brother told me I was being real mature.)

Of course girly weekend wouldn't be complete without movies from the red box machine that the boys would groan and roll their eyes at.

We finished our weekend by a morning at church. I shared with #1 a secret about our church so far unknown by the children, the cafe. We got there early and shared a doughnut after dropping #5 at the nursery (his first time-ekkk). And we had to spend a little time on actual housekeeping...dishes, you know and getting ready for all the laundry that was going to come home with our men.

I'm loving this tradition of camping weekends with daddy. #1 had her turn at the beginning of summer and now the boys have had their weekend (I'll report on that later). The best part for me, of course, is getting the other side and making our own special memories.

What #1 is doing this summer

Knitting...

Crocheting...

Reading...

#1 has been going to a knitting and crocheting class at the Girl Scout office in our town. She's had a lot of fun practicing and learning. I had taught her some basic crocheting but hadn't taken the plunge on teaching any knitting yet. She's taken to knitting really well and has gotten even better at crocheting. Taking pride in her pieces and trying her best.

She's got a list a mile long of projects she wants to work on...I think it's going to be a #1-knit (or crochet) Christmas.

And the reading...I had always had a strong policy on Harry Potter. I love the books and movies but felt they were not appropriate for the kids. Mr. Wiedz talked me into letting them watch the first movie, then the second, then the third. And since they'd watched them then I figured there was nothing wrong with reading them, especially since the books are even better than the movies.

A slippery slope indeed but I've laid down my foot...no more movies or books.

We're trying to have a fun and relaxing summer. #1 is doing well to accomplish that.