Last week wasn't ALL about sewing!

I've posted a bit much about my sewing wins lately but there were other things going on besides sewing. We were entertained by the newest band in town!! They totally ROCK!

The kids took a break from pretend swimming and boat rides to investigate cardboard caves.
HC from within the cave.
JB in the cave!
The discovery of being able to climb through the cave (all the debris was the Christmas wrapping paper that was stuffed in the box - these became snowballs - also referred to as snow globes by my two explorers).HC's turn to climb through the cave.This picture was taken in the dark with my flash.Same shot (except they switched sides) but without the flash. They were having so much fun with their flashlights! I love how well they play together! They even found time for an official tea party. They were talking with high pitch voices and drinking real live water! :) That was a special treat!We also had a much needed visit from Grandma. Grandma is the one in the apron and reading a goodnight story (at noon) to JB. Grandma had a fake voice too. It was hilarious!Then they had fun taking their naps in their great sleeping bags. What a fun week we all had!! I just wanted to share the fantastic adventures we had together last week while I also squeezed in my sewing victories!!

I sure do love these two little ones!! They are such good friends too! (HC also read some this week, she has read in the past but every word - even when repeated in the prior sentence - was so struggled. This time if she read 'Dad' in the first sentence, she just said "Dad" without a struggle in the 2nd sentence. She didn't struggle with sounding it out again. She just said it! This was a HUGE victory too!! We celebrated big time on this one!!!!) What a super super time!! I noticed that in most of these pictures JB is wearing his PJ's. When we hang around the house, he likes to stay comfy while HC MUST wear a dress or skirt of some sort! So that is the reason for PJ's, we stayed home most of the week! FYI! :)

Outfit #2. Done!

I KNOW you may be tired of all the sewing posts but I can't help it!! I am so excited with my latest creations!! I know I went on and on about how tough the pattern was for the white blouse I made HC, but after take 2 I have a different perspective!!!!! This chocolate blouse (using the same pattern) was so much easier to make. I haven't made the blouse (not counting the white one a few days ago) since Easter last year. That shirt (I made 1 year ago) was made with an instructor helping me. So HC's white blouse was my first official go with that pattern on my own. I felt like it was super difficult, just like I did one year ago.

When I made this shirt - I had no trouble. I guess I needed to get my mind thinking differently with the collar and this time - no problems at all!! I didn't have to rip anything out AND it looks well made on the inside too!! The white one is all puckered and after more inspection there are spots that should be covered (gaps in fabric near the collar) that are exposed if you were to lift the collar. So, I think it just takes one awful go of it and take 2 is much better! I feel great about this outfit.

The pants are from the SewSensible pattern I mentioned on my last post!! SOOOO very very easy! My only problem was with the ruffle this time. This was not due to the pattern but to my fabric. It was too thick for me to make ruffles the usual way. I had to manually fold out my ruffle on this outfit. Once I figured that out, I attached the ruffle with the pattern going upside down, so I had to rip it out and do it again! :) The fun!! Once I righted that wrong the pants were fantastic! SEW easy!! LOVE it!!!!

The best part is my daughter, who hates wearing pants, runs around the house in these pants with great joy. She LOVES to twirl in them!!!! I plan on making a few more pair with leftover fabric, but I think I will make the next pair in capri length, instead of long pants.

The easiest thing I've made yet!

My good friend SewSensible has another great pattern available on You Can Make This . I LOVE HER PANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I made a pair for HC last night!! SEW easy!! :) SOOO easy too!! My daughter is not a fan of pants and she actually likes these too. She calls it her skirt pants because they are so comfy and swirl out a teeny bit when she spins.


Here is what I made. I still need to put buttons on the shirt but I love the shirt with the pants!!
I plan on making the same outfit above with this fabric. The printed fabric will be the pants and the chocolate will be the shirt. I can't wait!!!!! I love this fabric and already made a dress for her with this, now I can use my remaining fabric on another cute outfit!! I've been saving it with hopes that something precious would cross my path and when SewSensible shared the pattern on her blog I KNEW this was the one!! I hope you will visit SewSensible and see ALL the cute stuff she has going on!! She has the most precious pattern for an Easter basket!! Not to mention the twirl skirt that I CAN'T wait to try too!! Thanks SewSensible!! LOVE LOVE LOVE the pants!!!

BAM - I took it up a notch

I have shared my sewing achievements over the last few months. Like this dress: I made a dress for my niece this Christmas and her mom held it up to a shirt with a peter p*n c0llar. I LOVED the way the shirt really dressed it up. So I made a shirt for HC to wear with her dresses. This shirt is quite frustrating to make. It is worth the effort but I put my blood, sweat and tears into this blessed shirt! :) I cut the fabric Saturday night and I sewed it this Sunday. I only have to put the buttons on and I am through! I love it! I will make her other shirts like this - but only after necessary breaks in between. I can become quite angry with the collar on this little thing if I am not careful. Once the collar is finished it is a breeze. That collar kicks my butt though! :) So here it is - the shirt:

I took a shot without using the flash in case it shows the shirt better (I see there are a few threads I need to cut).
The dress with the shirt. Don't you think the shirt dresses it up (more than a turtle neck does)???? Here it is on my model: I think when the buttons are on the shirt, the collar will lay better. It will not stick out as it appears to in the photo. Plus it needs to be ironed since it is complete.

And with a pair of jeans!! I am so excited!! It was work but it was worth the pain!

BCS Championship Game

The celebration!!!

I love it!! Geaux Tigers!!
We'll miss you Bo Pellini!!! Thanks for giving us your ALL!!!!!!
YES!!!

Tonight was the night!! LSU and Ohio fighting for #1. The road to this game was very stressful and utterly exhausting. With all of the grief about who should play for the title, I am thrilled this day has finally come. I needed the break from this season while we awaited this game. My Tigers truly wore the fans out with all the close games. I am thrilled that this game was not as close as many other games we played. All of the overtimes and all the close finishes in prior games. AHHH!! I still can't think about it without feeling the urge to hurl, a teeny weeny bit!!!! Even with all of that grief - I know I will miss the weekly games. Thankfully THIS win against Ohio seems to have been fairly easy compared to the season we've had this year! GEAUX TIGERS!!! BCS CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOOO!!!!!

(Photo below of SEC win 12/2007)
GEAUX TIGERS!!!! LSU 38 - Ohio 24 LOVE MY TIGERS!!!!!!!!!


I LOVE MY TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS FOR A GREAT YEAR!!!! WE'RE #1!!!!!!!! National Champs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

C.O.L.D.

IT has been COLD here! All last week we remained indoors. The weeks leading up to Christmas were in the 40's and I loved it but since we've returned from all of our traveling expeditions the highs have been in the low 20's with wind chill factors in the teens. My daughter told me other day "Mom, the wind sure is mean today." So we hid out in our little cave with hopes that the 40's would return. I know those of you up North MUST be experiencing death defying cold since we were having such cold temps and I wonder if you are all hiding in your caves too?

What in the world do you do with months of these freezing temps?? I thought I would enjoy living where it snows more regularly (and where it stays cold longer than two days a week, off and on) but I don't know if I would make it, after our recent go of cold weather. The kids do not even ASK to go out now. They admit defeat and join us in the chant that "It's just too cold today." Normally they beg us and tell us they won't be cold and they love being cold and they don't need to wear a coat, etc. But not this week. This week they've put on their bathing suits and removed the debris of toys in their path to play swimming pool in the living room. The throw rug is their pool and they jump in and pretend to swim with their babies/bears. It cracks me up! They are so ready to swim again. Aren't we all?

Here they are 'swimming'. JB is laying on his baseball glove.
Here they are pretending to ride in their boat. Now the area rug is crocodile lake. JB is driving the boat.


I do love the cold and maybe it would become normal, and less drastic, if we lived in a colder area. Maybe we would have built up a resistance to the fffffreezing temps by now. I hope that is the case! I know on a trip to Colorado it was colder there than our temps were in New Orleans but it felt warmer. The southern humidity really makes colder temps chill you to the bone. I was able to bear it much better in Colorado than N.O. So maybe I can take it. It would be fun to try! :) (Today it is back in the low 70's - I love the variety of winter weather we get here!!)

Daddy and JB

As you can see in the picture in my previous post, JB is "the same" with Steve. I had this post in save mode waiting to share our sweet story. When I began to do the finishing touches and post it, I suddenly felt the responsibility of ALL the times they both wanted to do things just like we do. So now I want to share the behind the scenes story of the photo I took of hubby and JB.

The last few times we dressed JB in pants with pockets he begins to walk around with his hands in his pockets. We were walking from the car to the restaurant Wed night before church several months ago. We normally hold JB's hand as we walk across the parking lot but that night JB told Steve (in a nice way) "I not hold you hand Dad. I hold my pocket." Steve agreed to this and they both walked with hands in pockets side by side. They began walking together and JB looked up at Steve (with a wow you're awesome look in his eyes) and said "Dad, you got a watch." Steve said 'Yes I do" JB smiled and looked down as he continued to walk, then JB said "Wook at the weaf (leaf) Dad." JB then strutted into the restaurant like he was a man. It was one of the absolute cutest moments we've ever had with him. He is always all about Daddy but this time it was with that hero twinkle in his eye!!

Look, I'm just like you!

I want make-up like you Mom.

Wook at me Dad, I have pockets just like you. I want to wear my hair down like you Mom.
Come on Dad, let's wear our bandannas together.
Come on brother, let's fall back.

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

They are always watching! I pray for a heart of wisdom that guides me to live every minute in line with what I believe. I want to practice what I teach. I don't want to leave my fingerprint. I want to be a tool God uses to draw my kids to Him! What a huge responsibility. Sometimes I am in awe of the task of raising kids and there are other times I am exhausted by the thought! I never take it for granted, it took us too long to have kids for me to knock any phase we go through. I just pray I never get in the way of what God has in store for these two precious lives! My agenda is not important - God's agenda is imperative! I don't want to miss a second of His plan!! God always does things better than I could ever imagine! Don't you just love that about Him??

Blessings to you all!!

Happy New Year!!!!

I am expecting a year of new beginnings for the MorningSong family! Here are a few scriptures that really stood out to me over the last few months. I want to remember them now and I pray they will speak to you as well!

Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him!

Isaiah 54:10 For though the mountains should depart and the hills be shaken or removed, yet My love and kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace and completeness be removed, says the Lord, Who has compassion on you!

Mark 9: 24 Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe, help my unbelief."

Joshua 3:5 Then Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."

Habakkuk 3:2 Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known!

Romans 4:13 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

Deuteronomy 30:6 And the Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your mind and heart and with all of your being, that you may live.

John 15:7-8 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Psalm 81:7-14, I will only share the key verses of this passage that stood out to me! (Verses 8, 10, 13) Hear, O my people, and I will warn you - if you would but listen to me, O Israel! I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!

These scriptures may seem a little jumbled, as though they don't come together in any understandable way. They all speak to faith and believing God! There are SOOO many times I know that I have believed God and took Him at His word to only find myself losing my faith grip! I so need Him to help me with my unbelief! I also know God has shown up time after time in my life when I needed Him. When I call out to Him, He answers me; but do I listen?? I know I have listened at times but I've also not listened on many other occasions! I hope and pray I will have a new beginning in my 'hearing' God. I want to give Him room to act quickly on my behalf!!

It is comforting to know that Abraham didn't do everything perfectly but when he did obey - when he did take God at His word and believe/act on it - God credited Abraham's faith as righteousness. We do not have to be perfect, we must simply obey when we hear Him whisper our way to go. We also need to be cautious that we do not force the direction God has for us on everyone around us. God will lead and guide each of us, He doesn't need our help in ministry. I have found the moments God uses me most are often moments I am unaware of, until after the fact. Like when I say something I feel is random and once I finish my story the person I am speaking with is almost in tears telling me how that was a specific God word to them. Did God need my help? No, but since I was clueless and since I had no agenda = I was a prime tool He could use to speak to someone. This is why we must consecrate ourselves daily before God, we never know when a random story will bring another person to their spiritual knees before God!

I also want to see the miraculous become more evident in our generation. I want to see God move in ways that are unbelievable, if I didn't see it for myself. I want Him to have the freedom to heal the physical ailments as well as the emotional and financial. I want Him to reign in earth as He does in heaven! I want my kids to be consecrated to God and I want them to know Him, really really know Him from a young age. I want them to see God do great things! I think it best to end 2007 and begin 2008 with a well known but powerful prayer:

Our Father, which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power forever and ever! AMEN!

Father God,

I ask you to be the head of our family as we enter 2008. I pray that we will hear your voice and that we will listen. I ask for our understanding and discernment to be increased and for our influence to increase. I pray your will and your way in our day to day. I ask you to reign and that your will would be done in our lives! I pray we will bring honor to you day after day after day in 2008! I pray our eyes will be opened and our hearts would be turned towards you like never before. I pray HC and JB would speak your words of wisdom from an early age. I pray Steve and I would remain in alignment with you so that we can guide our children in your ways! I pray we would not limit your will for our lives. I pray that any and every chain that hinders us would be broken and would never ensnare us again! We ask for a new level of liberty in you! We thank you for the healing of any disappointments from days gone by! We give you freedom to purge and heal us fully so we can fully serve you! Thank you that your Holy Spirit will teach us and guide us as we follow in your ways! Have your way in our lives this year! Have your way in each and every hour and every minute and every second of each and every day!! We thank you for our healthy family and we thank you for the doors you've opened for us in 2007! We pray continued health and blessing in 2008!! We thank you for your favor upon our lives and we trust that you have your hand of favor upon our lives and will continue to direct our paths! Let us remain in step with your will for us in Jesus mighty name I pray!!!! Amen and Amen!

Happy New Year friends!! We gladly welcome 2008 with great expectation!