Saturday, October 26, 2013

DIY Ruby Red Slippers

My mother-in-law bought us a cute little blue gingham plaid dress for Emma Jane which we decided to use for a costume. It definitely looks like a Dorothy dress from Wizard of Oz but I figured that she needed some ruby slippers but I didn’t want to buy shoes just for this! I tried to clean some white shoes that the boys had gotten out and well, I ruined them, so, I figured why not. I looked up a tutorial (here and here) and used them as references.

Here were the supplies that I used:
-2 oz. bottle of red acrylic paint (50 cents)
-ModPodge (I got the “sparkle” but I wish I would have just gotten gloss; the shiny has irridescent sparkles which are pretty but take away from the red)
-1 paint brush or craft foam sponge
-(optional) painter’s tape to tape off parts you don’t want red
-red glitter! (or silver if you want to go with the book; I like the movie version, sorry!)
-Newspaper or paper to paint/work onTheKids_October2013_ 101

Steps:
1) Start with clean shoes (and tape them if necessary) and paint them red (this helps in case you miss a spot!) Wait for them to dry.

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2) Mix the mod podge with an ample amount of glitter. I used about 2 Tbs of mod podge and about the same of glitter I think. I put in a little and then stirred until I thought that you saw more glitter than glue.

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3) Apply mod podge/glitter mixture but don’t goop it on. Try to make a nice even coat.TheKids_October2013_ 106


4) Wait for it to dry (you could sand in between this step and the next like this tutorial; the shoes came out really nicely. I didn’t have any sandpaper on hand so I didn’t do this. There are a few spots that would have benefitted from this step. Here are the shoes after one coat.TheKids_October2013_ 110


5) If needed apply a second coat (I did just because I had enough mod podge already mixed.) I had enough glitter in the modge podge that they could have just had one coat.

6) (optional) Apply a coat of varnish or sealer to seal them in. I didn’t and I don’t think that it is totally necessary if you’re using them for a costume. If you’re planning to wear these regularly then this would be a good step).

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7) Dress up and enjoy your shoes! :)

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Monday, October 21, 2013

Our Newest Blessing: Welcome Emma Jane

IMGP2253And what a blessing she is. I think that Heavenly Father knew that we really wanted another kid and that she would be a blessing for us. I definitely got a lot of interesting faces and comments when people asked how many kids I had (we’re more than double that 2.2 average now) but we always wanted this child (even if it was another boy—I have been a boy mom for 8 years and I wouldn’t trade a second of it for anything else).

TheKids_October2013_ 082Today marks her one week mark…time flies doesn’t it? I thought that I better write down a bit about her arrival before I forget anything since it will be a story to tell around here! It all started on Thursday, 10/10, it was my due date…it was a busy day and it would have been so fun to have her on the 10th (I would have had kids with birthdays on the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th and 25th). I was busy with the kids, cleaning, prepping, and Thad had class in the evening. I guess that I had done too much because I was having contractions but once I lay down they all went away and she stayed put for a few more days.

Disclaimer: This story might make some moms a bit angry especially if your labors were long and arduous…

TheKids_October2013_ 111Sunday I walked halfway home from church (less than a mile) and then later on we decided to go walking with the Woolley family in the evening to hopefully help my body get ready and it must have worked (although I wonder what people thought as they saw us with seven boisterous boys between us!) I woke up at 4 or 4:30 am with some contractions and by 6 we were leaving the house, then we dropped off boys at both grandparents and then stopped to get some breakfast for Thad before heading to the hospital. I got there and checked in and was at a six. The pains weren’t too bad yet just really uncomfortable. (TheKids_October2013_ 146The picture below is my “super hero cape” picture as I walked from the check in room to the actual L&D room. I don’t like using wheelchairs so she offered me a sheet to cover up my backside.) :)

It was about 7:30am when I got into an L&D room and found out that my midwife was beginning her shift at 8—how fun! My mom and niece were on their way and my water hadn’t broken so I decided to wait for them. It was getting a bit more uncomfortable though (mind over matter…I really “wanted” to use the bathroom but it was just miss Emma readying herself). I don’t remember the contractions hurting as much as just that feeling of “if I don’t get to a bathroom ASAP I’m going to go right here!”. My mom and niece finally arrived just before 9 am and I called and told them to send the midwife in as soon as she finished delivering the other baby.

TheKids_October2013_ 1619:26 am (my mom has a picture with the clock showing) the midwife, Cheryl, came in and chatted for a minute before checking me and saying that I was at a 10 and ready whenever! My water still hadn’t broken but she said I could either push and it would probably break or she could break it. I decided to push a tad (didn’t have to push too hard It was a relief to have the pressure gone—phew) and my water broke. She told Thad to wash his hands and get ready. I was on my side and she asked if I wanted to deliver that way, I said, “you can do that?” and then figured, why not as my back was bothering me. She lifted my leg up for me to hold and TheKids_October2013_ 186she told me to give a big push, Thad turned around (from washing his hands) just in time to see the baby’s head beginning to come out. She told me to give another grunt and as I did Emma came slipping out. She was born at 9:29 am and was nice and noisy although she did calm down quickly when passed to me!

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:) I think that her quick delivery is helping with my super quick recovery! I feel great! What a blessing! If all of the deliveries were this easy I’d have 5 more (just kidding) but really, it was so fast, I’m glad that my water didn’t break at home or I would have had her there! The boys are loving her to pieces and they’re so gentle and protective of her (even Benjamin—and he loves to smother her with super soft kisses!) I’ll have to post more pictures later of them with her!

Here are some pictures from yesterday after church. Isn’t her dress fun?

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Saturday, October 19, 2013

Samuel: Eight is Great

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Sam_1dayOldI can’t believe that eight years have passed since (or really even remember life before) that cold, drizzly October day when we brought our first little boy home. I wasn’t even blogging back then so I don’t have a cutesy little post to refer back to but in looking at pictures Thad and I sure were young!

Now, eight years later we celebrate him again! Eight. Wow. He sometimes seems so much bigger (and not just in his huge size 12 jeans!) and sometimes I’m reminded of how young he still is. I wonder sometimes if I put a little too much pressure on him since he is the oldest of five and I need him. But hopefully, I also allow him time to be him and to play and grow.

When I did Danny’s four year old post Sammy wrote down some things for me to include on his post. Here they are:

Favorite squash: pumpkin
Favorite toy: Legos
Favorite thing when I'm turning 8 at church: cub scouts
Favorite seafood: salmon, actually Alaskan salmon
Favorite coin: dollar coin
Favorite dollar bill: million dollar bill (I said that I don't know if this even exists to which he grunted)
How much mission savings I have (coins saved at Grandma's house): $13.07
Favorite Teacher: Grandma (she is his Sunday School teacher at church)
Favorite Spanish Teacher: My mom (who is lazy and is NOT teaching him Spanish)
Favorite Volunteer Policeman: Grandpa
Favorite 14-year old dog: Millie
Favorite brother: Nathan and Ben and Danny
Favorite TV show: Wild Kratts
Favorite Website: pbskidsgo.org
Grade: 2nd
Favorite Friends: Elijah, Jacquie and Jasmine

TheKids_October2013_ 513He did start cub scouts this week (since he turned 8 on Tuesday just in time for scouts) and came home saluting and with a project which he began working on immediately. He wants to earn his communication belt loop first. It will be fun to actually have a scout in the house besides Daddy.

A few more of his likes/dislikes:
-Dislikes homework, being rushed, getting dressed (he’d prefer to sleep in his clothes), that Mom doesn’t let him play Minecraft, when he leaves his toys and little Legos out and his brothers lose them.

-Likes: Using Google Maps to search all over the world, Veggie Tales: Wizard of Has, Scholastic’s Who Would Win book series, minions, Minecraft, Legos, torturing his brothers (added by MOM!), his little sister, pizza, playing or looking up stuff on the computer, reading non-fiction books and being silly.

Happy Birthday Sammy boy! We love you!

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Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Nathan: Age 6

Happy (late) Birthday to our Nate Nate! :) It’s been busy around our house with final baby preparations and school happenings with Thad that although we didn’t forget to celebrate, I did forget to blog!

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So, Nathan is finally six. I remember about 9 months ago or so when he had turned five just a few months before that he had begun telling me (and others) that he was now six. He would get very feisty when I would correct him and he would tell me that he had already turned five so now he was six. Silly boy…

Well, he started kindergarten at Cerritos and is doing well there. (I’m also going to sneak a picture of Sammy boy starting 2nd grade here too since I never posted his picture either!)

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He is growing, growing, growing and trying to catch up to Sam (which is proving to be impossible for now) but is still sprouting up.

He is full of boundless energy and has to be reminded to slow down and quiet down (inside voices!) often.

He loves the color green, Legos, books, popsicles, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (I think that he’d eat them every meal if he could!), cars, planes, cereal, space shuttles, ice cream, grapes, pears, and apples.

He does NOT like to be scolded and is very sensitive, and can be very sweet. He gives great big hugs, and still prefers to be called Nathan (not Nathanael!) 

He is our Nathan and we wouldn’t trade him for anything!

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Here he is with one of his teeth that fell out! He’s missing two now! :)

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