Trick or Treat Bags

I just finished up some new trick or treat bags for the kids. Previously, we'd been using some ugly orange buckets that took up a lot of space in my Halloween tote. So last year when my sister told me she made some cute fabric bags for her kids- I thought it was a great idea. Then I was at Target and found some Halloween pillowcases on clearance and knew it was meant to be!



I used this tutorial again to make the bags. I should have made the straps a bit skinnier, but I guess you live and learn, right?

Sewing Stuff

As many of you know I am a collector. I've got a lot of fabric. More than I'll ever probably be able to use. But I can't help it, especially at garage sale and thrift store prices, how can I pass up something so cute that has the potential to be something even more wonderful?

A few years ago Troy got me a sewing machine for my birthday. I didn't have the heart to tell him at the time I really wanted it so I could sew on my cards and scrapbook pages. Thank goodness I have learned that sewing other stuff can be a lot of fun, too.

Here are some of the projects I've been working on lately:

Genna has grown 2 inches since April, but the hand me down size 7 jeans from her cousin Hannah are still quite a bit too long, so I've been working on them.


I went to a quilting party last Saturday for Relief Society. I got a box full of squares and I spent a few hours figuring out a pattern with the fabric available. I feel badly that I didn't contribute anything besides my sewing machine, to what they got done that day. But I've been working hard here at home to be ready for the next quilting day. We're going to donate the quilts to some local organizations.


My own vintage sheet quilt is still sitting, not cut out yet. I realize that's why- I just need to suck it up and get the squares done. However, cutting is my least favorite part- I am not really good at getting it straight. But working on the gingham quilt is making me anxious to get back to working on my own quilt.



A while back, I did a vintage sheet swap that Crafty Little Beana hosted. There were some really fun fabrics I'd never seen before and some that I already had in my collection. I hope I can incorporate a few of them into my quilt.

Last but not least, I finished up this ugly little pumpkinhead guy. I didn't really like how his smile turned out- but maybe he works for the "so ugly, it's cute" category.

Instead of blogging this past month...

We went to Troy's 20 year class reunion. I even embarrassed myself on the golf course.


We had the Bennett family reunion the first Sunday in August. It was so nice to have Orin home from Iraq for a few weeks.

We took a trip to Kansas to visit my sister. We had such a nice time. Here are a few of the highlights..


We packed a lot into just a few short days. The kids had fun playing with Ashlyn, doing water balloons, having root beer floats in the cups like Grandma Olson's, washing the car, watching movies (Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Spiderwick Chronicles and Nim's Island), making these cookies, getting slushies at Sonic, and playing the new College Football game on the Wii. Lorilee and I had hopes of getting some sewing projects done, but instead we spend a lot of time looking at blogs, thrift store shopping and just hanging out.


When we got home we found that our chrysalis' had hatched. It was fun to watch these two beautiful black swallowtail butterflies take their first flight.


The day we got home we got a phone call to go and meet with the Stake President. More on that in another post.

Troy and his brother have a booth for their business in 4 county fairs and when we got back the Cass County fair was going on. Michelle and I run the booth during the days and then the guys take care of it at night. So I got back and worked 2 days at the Cass County fair and then got ready for the Otoe County fair.

During that time we snuck a night out as a family, because we knew with our schedule coming up, those would be far and few between. We had fun minature golfing up in Lincoln.


It was a lot of work getting ready for the Otoe County fair. Between the kids and I we entered 147 items in the fair and we made $213. I'll say it again, it was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. The kids spent a day at Grandma's while I worked and she helped them get some of their blue ribbon entries together.


In between fairs, I was able to squeeze in an afternoon to go out with my good friends Cheryl and Tami. We went to Art Chicks in Louisville to celebrate my birthday. You dress up, have lunch and dance. It was seriously so much fun! Afterwards we went antique shopping and had a wonderful time.


The last day of the Otoe County fair is the parade and they do wrist bands for the rides. Troy, Connor and I marched in the parade with the Cub Scouts.


Then it was onto the rides. Thank goodness Genna had fun time riding because the boys both went on only a few rides and they got sick. We met up with Troy's Aunt June and his cousins who were also doing rides and had a fun afternoon together.





And to finish catching you up on last week a few things I don't have pictures of- Jameson had a wart removed- which ended up being a much bigger deal than we thought it was going to be. He had to miss his last golf league because he couldn't bend his elbow. Troy and I went to the funeral of Dean Bennett, one of his Dad's cousins. Suzie, his wife, is Genna's primary teacher. It was such a beautiful service. We are so sad for his family that they are missing him, but grateful that he is no longer suffering. And then we had a recruiting night at the swimming pool.


Phew, now you are all caught up until Sunday. Thanks for reading this mega post!

Hot and Cold

It's still pretty darn cold here in Nebraska. We woke up to several inches of snow last Friday and 10 below zero windchills. It is supposed to warm up this week and be in the 50's, so I'm sure that means my kids will have their shorts out and be begging to wear them outside.


Despite the freezing temperatures last week I started a kitchen compost pile and got tomtatoes, broccoli and a couple varieties of lettuce going. I can't wait to get out and get working in my soil.



I know warm weather will be welcome around here too, because for the past month, for the first time in my married life, I've started turning down the thermostat. I'm not sure why I never did this before, but it started with turning the heat down at night. Since we got used to that with the help of our flannel sheets, I've been slowly inching our daytime temperatures down more as well. My kids all love their stocking hats and we've learned that sweatshirts, robes and a good pair of warm socks really make a difference.

Our favorite new thing is the rice bag that I made last week. My friend Kathy was telling me she uses one every night to warm up her feet when she goes to bed and then I saw Blair's tutorial and knew I had to make one. It has been a huge hit! It was so easy to make, I made 2 in about 30 minutes. Now at night we heat it up for about 3 minutes in the microwave and our feet stay toasty warm.


My only recommendation is that mung beans are not a good filler- because they are really stinky when heated up. The second bag I made with just rice and I think it is much better. Connor doesn't like the smell of either one of them and wants me to make one all of his own so he can spray Axe on his, heaven help us! I'm thinking some crushed lavendar might be a better addition to the rice.

It did get up to the mid 40's yesterday. Perfect ice cream weather, no? Josh didn't think so, but it was still delicious and the company was wonderful!

Enjoying...

Popcorn that doesn't come from the microwave...


A favorite game that takes me back in time to my Grandma Koski's house...


This peanut butter granola recipe- thanks again, Tammy! It is a big hit.


Homemade tortillas with melted pepper jack cheese...yum!


The fact that spring isn't as far away as it felt earlier this week.


This book, I'm not sure why I never read this growing up- but it reminded me a lot of Anne of Green Gables. I quite liked it!


Mooing at the cows out the back door. Yes, we really do open the door and moo at them.



This kid. My nephew Xander just turned 3 and he totally cracks me. He has got the cutest little personality!


I wanted to get a crayon roll up done for him- but it didn't happen.


A day off tomorrow...I've been subbing a lot and I am thankful that tomorrow I get to stay home and get some things done around here.

Catching Up

Alright- I am going to apologize ahead of time for this monster post. It's been a busy, but fun couple of days.

Here's how we finished off our Valentine's Day~

Genna loved being able to read all the names this year on her Valentine cards


I got a surprised with flowers from my secret sister. Genna loved it b/c the frog sings.


a candlelit dinner in the basement



I covered the top of an ugly chocolate box for Troy- we also opened our homemade Valentine's and read them


The next day I subbed and that night Troy and I were able to go up to the temple, while Grandma & Grandpa Koski watched the kids. It was a great night and our goal is to get there more often this year.

Saturday Jameson had an intense basketball game against Louisville. Then afterwards my brother Dave and his family came down for lunch. It was so nice to spend some time together!


After their visit, my Mom and I drove down to Kansas to visit my sister Lorilee. We had the best weekend. We had broccoli cheese soup, my Mom made banana bread and Lorilee and I made ourselves super hungry looking at tons and tons of cupcake pictures. Lor- you need to send me some of the links we found, ok?


Her baby Ashlyn is just the sweetest thing ever and I love being able to go and love on her. Here are some pictures I took of her in my Grandma's Christening gown.



Our kids have a lot of fun playing together. This weekend they decorated cookies, played the Wii and made a cousins grocery shop and had an official ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening.


Lorilee helped me make this little bag for Genna that I've been wanting to do since last fall. We used an old pair of jeans, some clearance fabric from Joann's and a belt I got at a garage sale. It turned out really cute, although jeans and thick belts are not really fun to sew through!


Anyway, thanks for staying with me to the end of this mega post. We really had a great weekend, the only downside, is that Jameson now seems to have what Genna had last week.

Monologues

Tonight was a fun Cub Scout meeting. The boys had to perform a monologue for their Webelos Showman badge. I got roped into leading this topic when Troy ratted me out that I was involved in Drama in high school.

Jameson picked

Recipe for a Hippopotamus Sandwich by Shel Silverstein

A hippo sandwich is easy to make.All you do is simply take One slice of bread,One slice of cake,Some mayonnaise,One onion ring,One hippopotamus,One piece of string,A dash of pepper--That ought to do it.And now comes the problem...Biting into it!

So we made a little stuffed hippo for his sandwich. I worked on sewing him while Jameson got the rest of his ingredients together.







Connor picked

SNOWBALL
by Shel Silverstein
I made myself a snowball
As perfect as could be.
I thought I'd keep it as a pet
And let it sleep with me.

I made it some pajamas
And a pillow for its head.
Then last night it ran away,
But first- it wet the bed

Here are the "props" we came up with for Connor's performance. A very kind soul over at 2peas helped me get the pajamas pasted into the picture.






Both boys did a great job and I think they had a lot of fun!