2009...

2009 has been wonderful for me - other than the 17 year old son who continues to try to test our patience beyond all capacity, all while having a driver's license.

This year I started school again.

This year I met my mentor and I am amazed how much easier my schooling and business life can be with him.

This year I got my first of many IT certifications!  Totally excited and proud of myself for that!

This year, my husband made the E-8 list for promotion (think 1st Sgt).

This year, my 14 year old daughter recieved her Young Woman Recognition Award.. She has been working hard on it for 2 years!

This year, my husband bought me a new sewing/embroidery machine.  Which I love.  Which I use all the time.  My poor other machine only gets used occasionally now.

This year my first child lost both his front teeth at the same time!  He is the first child out of the 6 we have to have accomplished this!

This year, that same little boy learned to read - all on his own.  He was tired of his bigger brother reading without him.

This year, my other little guy got his Wolf in Cub Scouts!

This year, I went on my first cruise.  The cruise was nice.  The people on the boat - not so much - especially they were drunk from before the cruise started until after they got off.

This year I have sewn more and more clothes for myself and my family. Which I really enjoy doing. I would give a count, but I don't keep count.  I sew clothes as they are needed and wanted.  But I did do something new - I made 2 coats - not fleece - for my 14 year old and myself. 

This year I have only done alterations (the bane of my exsistance) for 3 people, beyond my family's needs. Thank goodness.

I have lots planned for 2010.  First starting with a much needed vacation to visit with friends and my mentor. I also have a new wonderful sewing project to work on this spring.  Which I will tell you about in 2 weeks...

I will post on my 2010 goals next year ;)

Christmas Break

Christmas was wonderful.  Nice and quiet with our parents and children.  We spent the morning leisurally opening presents and eating breakfast (cinnamon rolls and gluten-free cinnamon rolls).  We then spent the rest of the morning playing on our new Wii.

We went over to our parents' house (mine technically, my husband's parents died 3 years and 1 year ago respectively) for dinner and movies.  We had a simple buffet and watched A Christmas Carol with the Muppets.  Then we introduced the grandparents to the Wii.

The rest of this week will be spent putting away Christmas decorations in preparation for New Year's Day and for our trip out of town.  I also will be sewing a little.

I finished all my Christmas sewing gifts.  And everyone loved them! 

I finished J2's Christmas dress - which is lovely - and she loves to pieces.  This was an heirloom dress and will be saved for my granddaughters one day when she out grows it.

I also finished my winter coat last night!  I wore it to church today - for some reason the heater always feels like the AC in the church building.  I was warm and comfortable during church today.

I made a beautiful pink fleece coat for J2 also - she outgrew her 2 jackets within 2 weeks of each other.  It is very cute with pictures to follow.

On my list for sewing this week is finding and readying a new dress to smock for J2.  I am thinking something peach or blue.  I haven't decided yet.  I also have a new white blouse that I need to make for myself. 

We are treating the children to a trip to California this next week. We will be staying and hanging out with friends of ours there!  The kids are excited to go to the beach, the Zoo, and just hang with our friends (who have no kids and 2 Xboxs - need I say more?)

 As the younger 4 are still home-schooled and our oldest daughter is a freshman in high school, we will take her out of school for the week. Our oldest has to stay here to work and do school work for his senior year. 

Almost done and ready for Christmas!

Whoo.  I have been busy.  And I am awake for some strange reason at 3:15 am. 

I have finished J2's new dress.  She has been in the need of new dresses, as most of her dresses may cover her bum - but then she moves - and then one gets a peep show of her panties. 

I also made a turtleneck smaller through the side seams and cut the sleeves into 3/4 length, and lettuce hemmed the edges for A2.

I also worked on another project for a friend quickly.  She needed names put on the new family stockings - this is important as they are a blended family and she wanted stockings that were all the same.

The 2nd party is all done.  We served 200 people and everyone enjoyed it (so they keep telling me!).

I have my dh's shirt cut out and sitting in my basket.  I also have my coat part way done.  And I have a new white blouse and a new red wool skirt waiting to be sewn.

But, J2 needs a new coat - it appears that her coat from last year doesn't quite fit in the arm length any longer.  So, I have some gray wool with pink/purple embroidered flowers already prewashed and dried along with purple lining to make a new coat - and I think I will make it one size larger so that it will fit next year too.

Christmas checklist - almost done! Again!

Mom and Dad - new pillowcases


M1- new hoodie sweatshirt

M2 - new hoodie also

A1 -  Robe

A2 - Robe

J1 - Robe

J2 - Robe

Husband - new black Cuban shirt

J (my sister) - something she can take with her....

Stocking stuffers - personalized pillowcases like I made my friend!

My client's dress Wow!  It took over an hour to cut and rehem the dress.  Must have something to do with the 7 layers of tulle....

write another paper - revised and waiting for pass notice....

and plan 1 christmas party on the 18th - planned and have shopping and to do waiting to do on Thursday/Friday

Oh - and I have to finish my coat! Still.
 
And I have 3 new classes starting in January - about 14 credits worth.  CIW Database Specialist - more computer geek stuff, Organizational Behavior & Management, and Healthcare Eco Systems I....and my textbooks, used!  will be about $200.  Fortunately, 4 of them can be used for the fall semester. 

Christmas checklist - almost done!

Mom and Dad - new pillowcases (hey - be surprised if you read this!)

M1- new hoodie sweatshirt

M2 - new hoodie also

A1 - new oriental blouse for church      robe instead (so she quits walking out from the bathroom in a towel)

A2 - Robe

J1 - Robe

J2 - Robe

Husband - new black Cuban shirt

J (my sister) - no idea - she is deploying to Afghanistan before March

Stocking stuffers - personalized pillowcases like I made my friend!

My client's dress is almost done - the zipper and shoulders should be done next week and then I just have to hem the whole thing - nothing major - just 7 layers of tulle, 2 fabric layers and the netting for the petticoat.

and to revise my paper... done & passed!

write another paper - only 5 pages this time  submitted and waiting for either revision or pass notice

and plan 2 christmas parties...on the 12th and then on the 18th

and help my mom sew 2 costumes for her and my dad for her party...

make 8 costumes for the Bethlehem Christmas party Sat night

Oh - and I have to finish my coat!

My to-do Christmas List...

Mom and Dad - new pillowcases (hey - be surprised if you read this!)

M1- new hoodie sweatshirt (he fell in love with the last one I made him - hmmm, maybe a picture is needed?)

M2 - new hoodie also

A1 - new oriental blouse for church

A2 - Robe (they will probably all be out of flannel or cotton - it isn't always cold enough for one here - but it does help to take the chill off when getting out of the bath!)

J1 - Robe

J2 - Robe

Husband - new black Cuban shirt

J (my sister) - new blouses

I also am going to make pillowcases like I made my friend!

My client's dress is almost done - the zipper and shoulders should be done next week and then I just have to hem the whole thing - nothing major - just 7 layers of tulle, 2 fabric layers and the netting for the petticoat.

So - off to sew...

and to revise my paper...

write another paper - only 5 pages this time...

and plan 2 christmas parties...

and help my mom sew 2 costumes for her and my dad for her party...

I love being busy for other people!  Especially if I get to sew!

Oh - and I have to finish my coat!