Handmade Christmas :: a new hat for Mr. Wiedz's

You probably don't remember Mr. Wiedz's hat I made with leftover yarn from deciding on his sweater (ravelry note here). It was a plain but nice hat. And he loved it. And Miss H., our wonderful babysitter, who does more laundry here a week than I do washed and dried his 100% wool hat...it now fits #5 nicely. So Mr. Wiedz has been dropping hints.

"I need a new hat..."

"My "other" hat isn't the same (and really he's right about that...one of the first hats I made was for him with Red Heart yarn. Acrylic yarn just isn't the same after you've worn and worked with nice wool yarn.)..."

"#1 has the best hat in the family..."

So I picked up some really nice chunky super-wash wool during my quick yarn store visit in November and knit up this hat quickly (love chunky wool...love size 10 needles) during times Mr. Wiedz was not around.

I found a pattern on ravelry that had cables but was still masculine and I think it turned out just right! Mr. Wiedz loves it too.

Handmade Christmas :: jammies

I hope I can post about the handmade I got done this year...there isn't too much. For as little as there was handmade this year there are even fewer pictures of what was done so we'll see if I can even post about it.

One thing that I almost crossed off the list and almost gave up on were the Christmas Eve jammies. I have given the kids new jammies on Christmas Eve since #1 was a year old but the past four or so years I have made the pants each year (here is last year's post, inside that are links for other years). And each year they are a little comically large or too tight...can't seem to get them just right. But this year there was just so much on my list and a little baby and the sickies and a new fabric store that I had heard had all sorts of crazy long lines...

But I did make it to the store. The lines weren't TOO bad, I was able to run there while Mr. Wiedz came home for lunch one day.

And I decided that this year there was no need for the pants to be a surprise, after all I make them every year so they know what they're getting.

Last year my mom had to help me with waistbands because I had made my rises too short. She made contrasting waistbands and sewed them onto the top of the pants similarly to how I do the cuffs on the bottom. I decided to start that way and I'm so glad I did. Probably saved the pants!!! No seams!!! I was able to cut out and sew all six pairs in one day and add elastic the next evening.

Done! And adorable.

*I am notoriously late in getting shirts to go with the jammies each year. Actually last year I didn't even get shirts and they just wore whatever they were wearing that day to bed and the next morning. This year I got a great deal at the Children's Place's cyber Monday sale and got all the kids new shirts. They didn't match or "go with" the jammies but everyone loves their shirts and they all looked so cute.

St. Patrick's Week

We didn't "row" anything this week but I tried to incorporate some St. Patrick Day stuff into our week, especially for the little boys. I've alway enjoyed St. Patrick's Day but this year it was fun to learn a little more of the man and about what he did.

Sensory "Tub" ::

I've been really interested in the idea of doing sensory tubs for school for the little boys. I'm not sure I could pull it off but, oh I love looking at all the great ideas out in blog land (here and here are some of my favorites). I did a mini sensory "tub" for our St. Patrick's Day week, split peas in my large Tupperware bowl. I gave the boys a small pot from the play kitchen, a spoon and my ladle. They took turns playing with it; #3 did a fabulous job keeping the peas in the bowl, #4 not so much! I'll definitely keep the idea in the front of my brain...we'll see if I can justify the expense and work it into my plan for next year.

Play dough ::

Another thing I'd like to incorporate into the little boy's weeks is play dough. I used a great recipe found online but is one I'd used before, #1 and #2's kindergarten teacher used this recipe and shared it with all the parents each year.

So I made green play dough of course. I used green Kool-Aid for the coloring as it also adds a great scent (and it's cheep)! The little boys got to play all by themselves the first day but I got so much complaining from the big kids that when we finished school later in the week we got it back out for the whole group to play with.

Sissy's Leprechaun ::

#1 planned a great St. Patrick's Day treat for her brothers. She colored, cut out and organized shamrocks as a scavenger hunt path leading to the leprechaun's pot of gold. She didn't want to actually wait for St. Patrick's Day (her chicks were due to hatch that day) and our Wednesday's are miserable so sissy's leprechaun left his treasure on Tuesday morning. Fun for all!

How sweet is she! Really, came up with the whole thing and spent the better part of the afternoon and evening making it happen. Such a big heart. I love this girl!

Tradition stands ::

Green oatmeal and milk for St. Patrick's Day breaky!

Seat work ::

We colored and labeled a map of Britain and Ireland, St. Patrick's stomping grounds.

I downloaded a St. Patrick's Day pack and printed off the scissor skills and some handwriting practice pages.

As a group we made this cute shamrock craft! and had a mini lesson about the trinity as St. Patrick explained it.

Links ::

play dough
Cute shamrock craft
Musings of me St. Patrick's Day unit

The 10 ways of Christmas

I was thinking I'd love to post about my crafting, gifting, making, decorating, traveling, etc of Christmas but figured I'd also get bored of individual posts so here is most everything in list form.

1. Gift baskets - I've made goodie baskets for neighbors, friends, and service people many of the past few years (there have been years it just didn't happen). This year I had baking day for banana bread and cookies and candy day for carmel corn and seafoam. Baking day was way easier. Candy day ended up having to be a few days spread apart. The baskets got done and delivered without much stress.

I made the exact number of cookies I needed for the baskets. #1 and I used the laundry room table to get them decorated so we could spread out more. Later, the dog at all but 6 cookies! Back to baking...

After the dog-eating-the-cookies, I didn't have anymore green food coloring so went with stars.

2. The making - I kept my making list pretty small this year since I didn't give myself much time to get anything done. Mr. Wiedz and I decided to make no-sew fleece blankets for each child so that was a project we spread over a few evenings and was actually nice since we were doing it together.

Santa also brought this handmade dress for Kit's stocking. Every doll needs a Christmas dress, yes! #1 says Santa's elves did a real good job making it!

I'd thought maybe I'd knit #1 and #2 a hat and Mr. Wiedz's step-dad a neck warmer. I got #1's hat done but the yarn I'd purchased for #2's disappeared, I took that as a sign to let that project go. And my heart just wasn't in the neck warmer so it was also abandoned.

My first cabled garment and I love it. So does #1...she's barley taken it off. It is supposed to be "slouchy", I'm not sure where she saw slouchy hat fashion but she is all over it! Grammie gave her 3 more skeins of yarn for me to make more...

3. Daddy/Sissy Christmas Outfit Date - Every year for many years now, Mr. Wiedz has taken #1 on a date to pick out her Christmas outfit. This year they spent a couple hours at the mall and came away with a fabulous outfit!

4. The Travels of Mary and Joseph - For many years I was a Creative Memories consultant. A dear friend, AJ (who is still a CM consultant - need scrapbook supplies or inspiration check out her website, shared two of their family traditions, an ABC's of Advent scrapbook and traveling Mary and Joseph. I never did put together a scrapbook like hers but once #1 was old enough Mary and Joseph have started traveling through the house on their way to Bethlehem (the manger). This year was the most fun we've had so far. #3 would start each day by looking for them. I tried convincing him that Mary was really tired from the baby Jesus in her tummy and that they needed to spend another night in the same location - no go...

They're journey was long and perilous...

But they made it...thank you Mary for your willingness to be the vessel for our Lord.

5. Christmas Jammies - We've always given the kids pjs on Christmas Eve and last year I made them all for the first time. This year I gave it another go (there were some rise issues and general fitting issues last year since I didn't use a pattern at all). I used really soft Christmas flannel and had a pattern that #1 used at Girl Scouts this year. I modified it for the other kids, though not enough and EVERYONES pants were about 5-7 inches too long...but the inseam was good and the waists all fit :)!

The cuffs are another really cute flannel that said Naughty or Nice...I thought of #4 when I saw that fabric and just had to get some to add to the pants. Everyone got a simple t-shirt to finish off the pjs...later I realized I put #2's shirt on #3 and #3's shirt on #2 (too small), we fixed it but #3 wasn't happy about not having a green shirt. I realized once I was sewing #3's that they were not going to be big enough around so I added a strip of the cuff fabric...gave me some more width to work with and is pretty cute (helps figure out whose is whose too).

6. Santa - We do Santa. The fun of Christmas...the magic...the letters...the excitement...we leave seafoam for Santa

And he comes...

He even leaves a thank you card (for the seafoam) and a Santa statue.

7. Christmas Morning - Last year we moved to our rental in Eugene. This home is JUST where the Lord picked for us to live. But it is a much smaller house than our previous one. Every year for as long as I can remember Mr. Wiedz and I travel to his family's for Christmas Eve. A wonderful time of visiting, eating and celebrating. At the end of the party we drove home, put kids to bed with promises that Santa only comes when they're asleep and woke up Christmas morning in our own beds. The past couple of years Mr. Wiedz's parents have joined us in the trek home after the party and gotten woken by excited grandchildren for Christmas morning while my parents come sometime in the later morning to spend the rest of the day. Last year my mom suggested that our home here was a tad too small for everyone to fit...and invited everyone to her house. I didn't think Mr. WiedzGrammie and Grampie D.

Presents, sticky buns, and a beautiful time shared by grandparents, parents and children.

8. Christmas Afternoon and Dinner - Another wonderful aspect of being at my parent's for Christmas is that it truly feels like being on vacation. We had a really relaxing day.

Some naps

Some knitting (me) and crocheting (grammie n).

Some reading

And some new games to play

Christmas dinner was easy, put together throughout the day

9. The Sickies - A couple of days before Christmas #2 started feeling "weird". I gave him Tylenol and let him rest, as we were eating dinner and a friend from work walked in the door he let loose into the "puke bowl" I'd JUST sat in his lap. He was fine until the next morning when he let loose again. After another day on the couch he was up and fine that evening. #5 and #4 weren't feeling great the day before Christmas Eve but were doing better by the time they went to bed.

Mr. Wiedz started feeling achy. He woke up Christmas Eve not so sure about going to all the festivities of the day. I talked him into it...it wouldn't be the same...everything was already set in motion. We drove up to Portland. Once we got to mom's his Tylenol had worn off so he decided to lay down for a bit until it was time to leave. But he only got sicker. #4's fever was back too.

I went to the family party without Mr. Wiedz or #4. While I was there Mr. Wiedz's fever got to 102.7. He was miserable.

He did wake up for Christmas morning and enjoyed the time with the children but had a nap when the morning activities were wrapped up.

He started feeling better, we drove home. He went into the doctor on Sunday to discover strep throat. I took #4 in Sunday too. #1 got her antibiotics yesterday evening and #2 went to urgent care tonight.

10. One last stop from Santa - When we got home we discovered Santa had also visited our house! Leaving a couple of presents for each kid. They were so excited! We had such a quiet and snuggled time being together. Opening presents slowly and enjoying each one and each other.

After our present time we had birthday cake for Jesus then went to bed.

What a season. What a celebration. What a time.

I have all the time in the world...right?

Pajamas to make...

Blankets for each...

Gift baskets for the mailman, neighbor and garbage man...

Chex Mix...

How many days until Christmas?

****

I'm trying to balance that pile up there with the waiting...

Waiting for my Savior.

Anticipation of His coming.

Welcoming His light.

Being a willing, though weak, vessel.

Slowing down.

Taking a deep breath.

Being joyful in these moments.

****

Balance.

Wishing you peace, anticipation, joy, and balance this week.



P.S. I do have a post in me somewhere about what we've been doing for school during our Christmas break (remember how we don't do lazy, relaxing, do-nothing too well) though I'm not sure I'll be able to post it this week. I'm always bummed when my favorite bloggers take breaks (what am I supposed to read if they're not there!!!!) but I think the kids need me to be joyfully WITH them instead of in front of the glowing screen...not to mention that pile up there - sneaking off to the sewing room whenever I can.

It's December first anyways

Last year I realized we had outgrown the advent calendar I'd made in 2002 or so. That one was a cute (if I do say so) felt, little pockets numbered with puffy paint. Each day held a gold wrapped chocolate coin for #1, Mr. Wiedz and myself. Two years later #2's coin got added to the pockets and when the time came #3 got his chocolate added too. But at that point the little felt pockets were no longer holding their shape.

After our move last year one of my first sewing projects was a new advent calendar


Before last year I attempted another advent calendar made from fabric envelops. I got the fabric, cut out a million envelope shapes, sewed envelopes with stabilizer in between so I could turn each envelope right side out and applique onto my base fabric. Are you seeing the vision? That's as far as that project went until I gave up.

After our move last year one of my first sewing projects was a new advent calendar. Much simpler than my prior attempt. Pockets again, like my felt masterpiece, bigger this time to accommodate the 7 chocolate coins that will need to be enjoyed each day of December.

I remember the quiet evening I spent over the sewing machine hemming each pocket while Mr. Wiedz was in China and the children were asleep. I got all the pockets hemmed and sewn onto the base fabric before December 1st. Then I hung it up. With a binder clip and a paperclip holding the rolled-down corners onto tacks in the wall. The raw edges of the fabric swaying.

We made it through Christmas season 2009 and when I took the decorations down I put the calendar in a easily accessible spot in my sewing room so I would be able to finish off the details before next Christmas. I was thinking quilting it. Stamping numbers onto the tags...water-coloring the tags to match the fabric. Making a nice hanging sleeve. A title...something reflective of the season and Jesus and warm and family...all the things I want Christmas to be for our family.

Tuesday night after I got 4 of the kids into bed and await Mr. Wiedz and #2 from Cub Scouts I went out to the sewing room and retrieved the advent calendar from it's "easily accessible spot" and started the search for some backing fabric. I was determined not to hang it back up in it's sad-loose-strings-raw-edges form as before.

I sewed the two fabrics right sides together, flipped the puppy right, folded down the top and there you have a hanging sleeve. The poor thing still has the numbers written on unpainted tags which are still safety pinned to the pockets and there are even faint lines that were supposed to be where I quilted the piece then washed it...

It's December...well 2nd now...and Advent is here. We are waiting. We are anticipating. We are explaining to the 3 year old that the chocolate gold-wrapped coins are for after dinner and only for everyone who eats their dinner.

Thanksgiving Education

Back in the summer I thought we would take most of Thanksgiving week off of school. Just relax, cook, bum around. But I have learned (over and over) that we don't do well with no plan. Bumming around doesn't work for us. Relaxing isn't relaxing!

Then I got an email from the homeschool group I joined with links to Thanksgiving lapbook ideas. That got my wheels spinning and ideas forming and lots of internet searching. I prepped a lot of work and did a lot of cutting out and getting ready. It was really fun!

I think the kids liked doing something a little different. Plus I have been not feeling well so an easy schedule was really what I needed.

Pumpkin Stamping :

Based on a photo I saw in my internet searches I made a potato stamp of a pumpkin. I forgot to leave a stem on it so we drew those in later. I only made one stamp so the kids came to the table one at a time to have their turn.

Lapbooks :

I followed a lot of links and found some games, some mini-books, some coloring pages, handwriting tracers and whatever and made our first-ever lapbooks.  The kids thought they were fun...most because they thought they were different, I think. Everyday we spent some time coloring, reading, playing and doing something in the lapbook.

The completed lapbooks were great. Each reflected the kid that made them. #1's was tidy and everything was as complete as she could make it. #4's was very colorful and a little messy! #2 and #3 did what they wanted and only more if I was real stern about it.

Our pumpkin stamps were cut out as decoration for the cover of our books

#1's. The left inside flap: what she is thankful for and a notebooking exercise on the pilgrims.

#4's. The middle of the inside had a maze (I found Thanksgiving mazes with three levels of difficulty) and a mini-book  about the first Thanksgiving. On the right inside flap as a turkey tic-tac-toe with pieces in a little mini envelope.

#2's.

#3's. The back cover had our memory verse for the week, Psalm 121:1-2 for the kids to write or trace. #1 wrote from memory, #2 did his as copywork, #3 traced a simpler version and #4 ignored his.

History :

Of course we had to throw in a couple history discussions. About the pilgrims and why they left England (though really they'd just left Norway) and the Mayflower and the Mayflower Compact (why it was necessary and what it meant) and getting to Plymouth. How the women stayed on the ship while the men built shelter and found food. How the sick were brought back to the ship for the women to care for which could be part of the reason there were only 5 women left by the time the Thanksgiving feast came around. We talked about the Indians that helped teach the pilgrims. Why they were thankful, what they did to celebrate. And how it became a tradition for us today.

Life Skills :

Well I had to sneak a little getting ready into the week. So we made a menu together, and a shopping list. We discussed budgets. We got the house ready for company. I had much bigger plans for this part of our week but with not feeling well, I wasn't up to a grocery shopping trip the week of Thanksgiving with 5 kids to do a lesson on budgets and cooking and such.

Wrap-up :

I'm glad I did something different Thanksgiving week. It made getting back into the regular routine feel good. Not feeling well, I know I would have skimped on the regular stuff anyway so now I don't feel behind or that we didn't cover something like we should have.

Links:

Thanksgiving notebook pages
Turkey-shaped book
First Thanksgiving mini-book
I am Thankful mini-book
Colors of Thanksgiving Dinner mini-book
Coloring page & Verse Tracer

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).

Easter Weekend

We decided to spend Easter weekend at Grammie and Grandpa N's. We'd spent Christmas at their house, which was SO nice, and invited Grandma and Grandpa D to join us.

We set off from our house after #5 ate Saturday morning in the hopes of making it all the way without having to stop.

After dinner Saturday we made up the egg dye and let the kids color eggs. This year we used 2 kits and each kid got 4 colors to use. I think it helped keep the mess down since they weren't reaching across and fighting over colors. They colored two dozen eggs and had a good time doing it.

The Easter bunny comes to Grammie's house in the middle of the night so when #1 woke at 6:15am her brothers were quick to join her. They were sent downstairs with the instructions, wake Grammie and Grandpa but pick up NO eggs!

First they found their hidden Easter baskets.

Then they hunted the eggs. The rest of the morning was spent going through their treasures and shoving as much candy as possible into their mouths before mom or dad could notice.

We had a leisurely breakfast and morning spent enjoying family company. The afternoon was nap time for the Grandpas (Grandma and Grandpa D had joined us) and wii or xbox playing for the kids.

Dinner was delicious ham, potatoes, veggies, salad and bread eaten with family and enjoyed by everyone!

I did a little photo shoot of the kids in their Easter clothes, #5 was my most willing participant.

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