First home study visit...

We have our first home-interview with our social worker thursday.
I am very nervous.
I'm having my dad come by tomorrow to help me get the house prepared....
I am praying for supernatural productivity and endless grace for our social worker,
in hopes that she'll see our house as the work in progress that it is, and understand that we aren't just leaving it this way.

Two dresses...

I have made two dresses I'd like to sell.

I am still practicing, and honing my skills... so I'm going to sell them for what they cost to make, plus $4 for my time.

They're both Dress-to-Shirt styles that I am trying to tweak - so the deal is that I'd really like to get some feedback on them.

I'm attempting to make a pattern that fits loosely as a dress at first, but then fits as a tighter shirt later.

I've already decided on some changes, but would still like some feedback.

The first one is a size 2T, and the second is roughly 3-6M

I'd like $7 for both of them, and a chance to take pictures of your kiddo in them if anyone is interested...

Pictures soon.

Thanks!

The Dress

Ethan is expirmenting with with drinking from a cup.
He does pretty well.
Mainly he likes blowing bubbles more than drinking.

But, we're tryin'

I made my first dress for Evelyn last night.
I made it a *touch* too small, but not bad for guessing!
I know.... but she was asleep and I didn't want to wake her to measure her.
It fits now, but not for long.

Lots of pictures...

So, a while ago I had Kathy, Linda, their kids, my kids, my brother, and my babysitting kids together at my place to play on Kasey's slip-n-slide.
It was a good time. I was totally captivated by Laney and her fearlessness, so I mainly took pictures of her (not on purpose).
But, isn't she the cutest!?

Then just the other day we met with Kasey, and a girlfriend of hers at the mall.
I didn't bring my flash - so sorry about the horrible picture quality...

Lovers reunited

Takin' control!

Trying to get some lovin' - but Ethan's saving that sweet first kiss for the alter.

And some random pictures: Ethan and Evie were getting in the spirit for halloween

I took some pictures of Evie in our very dark living room last night. She was in a cute mood, so I tried to get it on camera... but she ended up just being very fascinated with the camera.

So, somethings to note:

My parents came to church with us today! (not church goers) and actually liked it! We had dinner at my house afterwards with the in-laws and my parents. I made salmon, tilapia, habanero poppers (home grown), friend green tomatoes (home grown), salads (home grown), and Tim brought awesome home made bread, and a ton of salad fixings. We ate well, and surprisingly the habanero poppers were really good, and didn't give me a stomach ache like I expected. We also had "church" and watched a nooma together as a family - Noise. It was really good.

My dad is starting at Millbrook filling in for Karl as he has his first day at the middle school tomorrow. It's guaranteed to him for only one week, but we're hoping with good impressions, hard work, and a lot of prayer maybe it'll turn in to something long-term for him. He really needs a respectable long-term job.

There have been a lot of reminders lately to be thankful for life - especially with our children and family. A little boy drowned, and another died from a fever induced seizure. Both in extended circles (didn't know them personally), and around 18 months old - gut wrenching. A friends child making their way in to a busy street, friends who lost their children in early pregnancy. Another friend whose just gotten word their 20 week old child (in utero) has spina bifida. My grandpa's sister dying unexpectedly of a heart attack (in her 60's), and my grandma's sister dying unexpectedly of brain cancer (also 60's). All in the past few weeks....

So next time your child is having a tantrum, or your sister pisses you off - give them an extra hug and thank God that he's letting you be with them, even for just one more day...

In other news, Evelyn is 5 months! Guh - can you believe it!? She's totally teething, and is constantly bathing in her own spit. I'm just waiting for her to wake up one morning with a mouth full of teeth for how much she's chewing and slobbering!

And I got to take a 2.5 hour nap today!

Non-babysitting life is bliss.
I have so much time it's awesome!
I cleaned my kitchen and laundry/bathroom area top to bottom today and it felt so good!
I have had a "tidy" house (not cluttered or anything) but not a very *clean* house in a long time.
I love the way my sink looks after scrubbing it with bleach and baking soda...

So, what's new...
I put the kids in cloth diapers full time now.
I broke down and bought some.
Every time I'd make some they'd grow, and they'd be too small.
So, I got a bunch of "one size" diapers, meaning that they'll fit any size kid, because of the snap-system on them.
I really like them!
They're worth a small fortune, but it's so worth it in the long run with how much we'll save in diapering costs.

As far as fostering, we got all of our paperwork in.
Our social worker said our references came in, and that our driving records came in fine too.
Now we're waiting on our full background checks... assuming that those come back clean (they should..) then we will do our interviews.
I know we'll be totally fine for the interviews, but I am a little worried about our house.
We bought it as a foreclosure, so it needs work.
And I'm hoping they'll see it as the work-in-progress that it is...

Ethan is in a total word-boom.
He's talking up a storm.

Evelyn has completely grown out of her fussy stage, and is so amazingly cute!
She's starting to look like a baby now, instead of a newborn.
And she's really growing right now.
She spent her first 1/2 night in her own bed (in our room still though) earlier this week and slept for like 4 hours uninterrupted!

I'm not quite ready to let her out of my bed full time though...
I just love baby snuggles!

Ethan is a whole new man now that he's not competing for mom's and Abbi's attention.
He is so lovey, and cuddly, and has had a total attitude make over...
I'm loving it!

I love having time to do the things that I want to do, and enjoy doing.
And I'm hoping that I'll get to enjoy my beloved friends more now too...

Things are well,
Thanks to the Lord!

A second car...

Well tomorrow marks the end of an era in my life...

I am officially done baby-sitting after tomorrow evening.

I am very excited about spending more quality time with my kids.

We bought a mini-van the other day.

It's a 97 Doge Caravan, and it's truly a mini van with only a 4 cylinder engine.

It's much better than our 12mpg Suburban for driving around town.

Not having to babysit, and having a second car is going to be amazing.

I just know it.