Underdresses here we come!

Got all the kids measured for underdresses (girls) and tunic (Joseph). I have not made clothing in a few years, and it is kinda a bitter-sweet feeling. I have usually done projects like this with my grandmother who taught me to sew, my Munner. Unfortunately she no longer remembers who I am, nor how to sew...

So with reading several patterns and trying to figure out how to cut everything (without a "paper pattern" which I am used to having!) here I go! Starting with Lilly's as the linen was on sale so I got extra of it, plus her's is the smallest so if I mess it up I have more "wiggle room" to re-cut and start again.

I currently have the body done, neck hole and slit cut, and one sleeve sewn to the body. Hoping in a few more hours I will be able to finish her dress.

This is the dress I am working on -

from http://www.excaliburgirls.com/lopvmakersbuildalong/current-project/viking-wear-2014-workshop-1/

New Leaf, New Direction, Big Changes!

So I quit my job... This has NOT been easy for me... But it has been GOOD!

(I will add pictures to this later!)

We have a garden in this year! We did lady bugs, and butterflies, and are anxiously awaiting our praying mantises hatching. The front garden is getting the attention it needs. I am taking a more hands on approach for my kids schooling - which they need! There is a LOT less "screen time" around here. (Like getting closer and closer to none!)

Then Robert get's a kidney stone... OH NO!!! 3 ER trips, trip to doctor, 2 trips to specialist... Stone gone! (yeah!!!) Medical bills coming in... We are currently up to $1800+. Add Belle needing oral surgery and my parents were in a motorcycle accident... YIKES! Everyone kept asking what I wanted for my birthday and I kept saying NO MORE ER OR DOCTOR TRIPS! (And I was serious!!!) I had been to the ER, surgery center, or doctor appointment 8 times in 10 days - not including our weekly chiropractic appointments. I was DONE!

My house is cleaner than it has been in YEARS! We are doing school almost all orally or project based and the kids are excelling. I got a quilt done and 2 more almost done, as well as an afghan almost done too. I am starting to learn to knit, and needle felt, and picking up my crochet and cross-stitch again.

We went to the Medieval Faire in Norman again (like we have almost every year, for me for about 20 years). We got connected with the SCA group again. After discussing it with Robert we decided to go ahead and join up. Of course with Robert and myself, if we decide to do something we DO it! The kids are joining right in too. We have already been to a day event and a weekend event (camping for the first time ever as a family!). The older two kids have been doing chivalric (combat) practice. (Kat was in the finals after 2 practices! We are so proud of her.) Robert sung at the Torchlight fights. Lilly tried to join the fire dancers!

We are staying home this weekend and what are we doing? Robert is out making me and Kat inkle looms for weaving and I am in researching and starting to get things ready for making tunics and dresses! Linen is ordered, and I will probably go get a little more from JoAnn's since it is on sale and I only need some off white type colors (that is really all they have!).

We are all wanting to get into archery, Robert wants to do siege weapons, I want to do blackwork, and Robert and I are interesting in scribal, and the list goes on and on... These are things that we kept saying we wanted to do or learn. And now as a family we are working on it! Teaching history in a more hands on way in the process as well some practical skills (sewing, woodworking, ...).

Time for a CHANGE!

Boy the last couple years have been an experience! So much has happened... I was working, and I am thankful for that opportunity to work from home. But it is time for a new season! I realized that I while I was working from home, I was physically present with my children but I was not really present for their lives. I am so incredibly thankful for my husband for allowing ME to see this and help me to make the changes needed, without forcing it (even though he saw it for a long time before I did!).

Most of this came from us loosing another baby. While that is always difficult, I had significant blood loss and was really terrified of not seeing my little ones again! I was in the ER for about 10 hours, and was in "recovery" from home for a couple weeks and was barely coherent for at least a week. I am grateful to dear friends who helped my children while I was in the hospital and helped bring me things to help me recover. After that the family member who was renting our house gave notice that she was moving out (just as I was able to get out of bed again for more than 2 hours at a time)...

We spent November and December fixing the old house, almost daily... It was LONG and HARD as I was still weaker than I should have been and of course had 4 children to try and entertain. I painted over the nursery I had created (and SO LOVED!)... I cried, BIG TEARS! I had promised Robert I would never ask to do a project that big again... I hadn't. I did most of the painting with Robert coming down in the evenings after work to help in areas that were more difficult to get to. My dad helped SO much with getting flooring in - Yes we did it ourselves! My mom helped with cleaning up flower beds. Some friends came over and helped with cleaning, replacing fixtures, scrubbing, and some of the other repairs. It was long and hard on all of us! We ended up with a couple different contracts, as one fell through after closing had already been set. It was heart breaking! Once we finally got it done we went on vacation to Dallas for a couple days. It was very much needed.

But through all of this my hours of working were cut WAY down for 3 months! Money was TIGHT! Medical bills, repairs, paying mortgages on 2 houses... It was stressing me. I was angry... I don't like that feeling. Through it all I had my little Lilly keep coming to me - "Momma, read me book." "Momma, I wuv you!" "Momma, I cook with you." "Momma, HUGS!" All with her huge smile, blue eyes glinting, and blond ringlet curls. My children are what I prayed for. I had the things that I had always said were MOST important to me! And the worst thing is I WAS NOT TAKING THE TIME TO ENJOY THEM! My oldest had turned 11... ELEVEN already! Where did the time go?!?!

My oldest is already half way to adulthood, my house was a mess, I was stressed (almost all the time), chores and schooling were not getting done, I always felt behind on everything! Something HAD to change... I had to be fully present in my children's lives!