A few weeks ago I was thrift store shopping with my mom and the moment we walked into the small thrift store my eyes immediately zeroed a polyester kimono, that had beautiful tangerine poppy print. As I approached I was devastated when I saw several large spots on it and a 5 dollar price tag (if it was going to be that much I would have loved for it to be in perfect condition). My mom came in a few minutes later and saw me eying it she decided that I needed it and she purchased it for me. When we got it home I scrubbed it to get any dirt or stains out of the fabric. One scoop of Oxy Clean and a wash cycle and I was in business not a single stain!

Front View

Back View

The Design 
I looked through my inspiration board on pinterest and I decided that I wanted to make a dress with a high yoke, flutter sleeves and a high contrast between the top and bottom textures. I drew up a few different options but they didn't feel quite right. I tried to pair scraps of material with the polyester but everything seemed the wrong scale, wrong color or too overwhelming until I remembered about Point D'Esprit Lace.

Point D'Esprit Bridal Lace available at Joann's for $4.99/yrd. regular price

I did the math and I figured with 1/8 of a yard of lace I would have just enough to use it for the sleeves, the yoke and an unlined band near the bottom of the dress. To do it again I would have bought 1/4 of a yard because 1/8 was cutting it incredibly close and the closest Joann's is 30 minutes away and none of the other stores in town have much fabric beyond simple quilters cotton.
When we were at Joann's I found a set of fun tangerine buttons that were juvenile but still classy. I loved that they were in scale to the dots on the lace.
The Pattern
Boston is incredibly slender (at her 9 month appointment she was in the 6% for weight and the 67% for height) so I usually have her in a onesie or dress one size smaller than her size and then on bottom she has leggings that I have made her from knee high socks (Trick my friend Becky taught me) and/or circle skirt. I knew that I didn't have the time or the patience for a commercial pattern not to fit right  so I took one of the dresses she looks best in (it is a Carter) and copied the yoke. For the sleeves I used the sleeve pattern from Simplicity 3854, instead of hemming it I decided to double it over and decrease the height of the sleeve. For the skirt I made it 1 1/2 times her waist measurement and so after putting it together it would be knee length, so it would be easy to craw in. I gave her a little more room in the back yoke so that it will fit for a while.
Should we ask her how she likes her new outfit?

I'll take that as a Yes!

My mistake that became happy accident
Like I said I didn't have much of the lace fabric so when I cut my front yoke a lot too wide in the middle, I was figuring out how to save it. I pulled out a pintucking foot (which is a little naughty because it is a Christmas present) and went to work until it was just right. I loved how much depth and texture the pintucking gave to the yoke.
A few of my favorite things

	The whole dress is lined (except for the lace cut out)so it will be soft against her delicate skin.

The tangerine buttons against the white yoke.

Yet again I have to say I love the pintucking it was such a fortunate accident.

Accounting for growing & accessories
It is  always sad for me when I work on something for the kids only for them to grow out of it a month later. I knew I would be putting quite a bit of time into this project I made it so that there would be extra room in the back as she gets larger all I have to do is move the buttons over a little bit and she will be able to wear it as a tunic.
As a dress I felt like it needed a pair of leggings so her legs wouldn't be exposed to Idaho winters. I used some of her sock leggings as a pattern adding a little extra room to the sides so they would like satin pants and not leggings. The leggings were made out of a 1 way stretch knit that looks like satin (found it last year at Walmart for $1.50/yd) and added a band of stretchy lace so that when they get too short to be pants we will be able to be bunched higher.
Before her I give it to her for too quickly approaching first birthday I want to make some soft soled ballet shoes.
Just one more picture, okay two, before I let you go. 

Great idea Scary!
What revealing things should I put on display?  Should it be my parenting, reverence, financial standing, house keeping, hygiene, auto maintenance, time spent online daily, familial nutrition, or timely visiting teaching.

First things first.  I really struggle to maintain my personal daily walk with the Lord.  It is a habit I have been trying to form.

When I was single I had a pretty good schedule.  I would get up every morning, say my personal prayers, read the scriptures, and then quietly as I went through out the day meditate on the Savior and his plans for me.

Then, I got married and then pregnant- ahem! With pregnancy came morning sickness.
But, then I had #1.  Once again my schedule was not my own.  I got up when he cried and went to bed after serving and loving him all day.  The same has happened with 2,3,4, and 5.  I can not believe that I have not had consistent scripture study and prayer for the last 10 years.  It is something that I often try and try and try again.
I have frequently said that it is a good thing I had kids or I would have had no idea I wasn't perfect.
There are many many posts that I will be able to add about imperfection and truthfulness.

I love this little blog. I love how the four of us have a chance to unwind, create and share. As much as I love this blog, I don't love this blog more than I love the sisters that I share it with. MY SISTERS are amazing.
This morning when I woke up I was frustrated for the last time with my hair. I was 10 minutes from doing something drastic like going all Britney Spears on it. Luckily right then Al called and asked if I needed any help today. I told her I needed my hair cut. So she agreed to cut it right then saving me from a terrible hair cut by my own hand and my husband's hair clippers. She double, triple, quadruple confirmed that she wasn't cutting off too much. I then proceeded to encourage her to take off another 1 1/2 inches. As she clipped we talked about money stresses we were both dealing with and tried to provide emotional support for each other. 30 minutes later my head was lighter (physically and emotionally) and her floor was sprinkled in brown curly locks. She then took Ryder on an adventure so that I could clean my house.
While Rhett was out of the house I called Jo and we talked about parenting, marriage and lack of money. As we talked we compared emotional battle wounds. I thought  that yesterday Rhett's running from one end of the chapel to the other during the closing prayer was frustrating and embarrassing. Then she recounted her Sabbath experience and I was immediately grateful that the Lord has given me stewardship over two of his children and not five because I know I don't have the emotional strength like she does.
After talking with my sisters today I decided that the thing that makes me love them is that they aren't perfect. But it is because they are as flawed and as overwhelmed, as I am. And sometimes there is joy and strength in knowing that you aren't alone. I watch them some how make it through one more day and know that I can do it too.
I decided that at least once a month I am going to be honest about something that I am dealing with that is hard for me (hopefully as I practice this will get easier). I hope by doing this that I can give someone else the chance to know they aren't all alone. It would be my hope that my sisters could join me in this at least this one time and if they feel so inclined to continue it with me in the future.
Today's honest moment: We are broke. Our lack of money occupies most of my waking and some of my sleeping thoughts. I am often overwhelmed when I think about the percentage of our finances we have have going out each month. In recent months Slim Jim and I have had to sell plasma to make ends meet. It makes me not want to go out on dates with my husband because we have to think about spending money, it is the reason that I want start to potty training Boston at 18 months.

It seems like with all my creativity in the budget we will never have enough but some how I am sure we will just keep chugging along.

Dear Sisters,
Tonight I was diligently working on my project for Project Run and Play Open Tryouts hoping that tonight I might be writing a tutorial and posting pictures for it. Tonight, Slim Jim had to close so after dinner I put on a Dennis the Menace for Ryder and Boston was cheerfully I crawling around the house getting into stuff. But she is 10 1/2 months so really can't get into that much trouble. Or so I thought!
I was taking pictures of my progress (for tutorial writing), pinning and ironing to work on the hem. I think to myself it has been a little while since I have seen Boston but she is probably into the mixing bowls again (one of her favorite places in the whole house). I resolved that I would go check on her as soon as I placed 3 more pins.
Ryder must have had the same idea because he got up from his movie and ran to check on Boston. He ran back into the living room saying, "Boston 'pilled (spilled). She made a big mess!"
I got up from my sewing table immediately12 feet into the hallway connecting the dining room to see Boston poking her head around the corner a large puddle of Canola Oil anywhere from 2 to 5 feet around her in every direction. Don't worry she didn't ruin any clothes she, she was just in her diaper (it was within the few minutes everyday where I let her go naked). She was slip sliding all around having a grand time. And all I could do is smile and know how blessed I am to have my sweet babies. I let them play in it for a minute while I grabbed my camera and started a hot soapy bath. As I dropped them into the water I then brainstormed how I was ever going to get over 1/2 gallon of oil off the floor. Then I thought maybe I should look on Pinterest because Pinterest usually has the solution to every cleaning problem, but I was pretty sure not this one.
I am writing my cleaning solution down just encase someone somewhere on the web has half a gallon of oil spill all over their floor and end up searching for helpful suggestions. 
First I removed my pants so they don't get oil on them.
Clean most of the oil up with kitchen towel clean between swipes in hot soapy water (we don't use paper towels for budget purposes so this might have been easier with paper towels)
Call mom and laugh about it then I listened to her suggestion to dump flour on the floor.
Sweep up the floor.
Mop with the Homemade Mop Solution trying to pick up all the oil-glutenous balls.
My sister stops by chat so I put my pants back on to answer the door but tell her briefly what happens and why she can't come in. She suggests corn starch (a texture I hate. I decided to follow her advice and I had great success with it clinging to the remainder of excess oil.)
I then dump out the mopping solution and replace it with vinegar/water mix and finally it was good enough to walk without slipping.

As I was cleaning I got thinking about how so often as mothers we drop what we want to do most at the moment and put our children's desires and needs first. I had a fair amount of reflecting time between coats of clean up, and I realized that right now is just the beginning of that saga. Now it is putting two greesy kids in the tub to clean up the oil off of them before they go to bed. In a few years it might be going to talk to their teacher about a problem. And when my children are my age I might become for them what my mom has become for me the person that provides them with encouragement, compassion and direction when I am feeling sad and need a reminder what is really important in life.

Now off to sewing before the kids wake up! I think this project might be one of my favorite projects I have ever sewn. I look forward to putting it on Boston.

Dear Mom,
As I go through your sweet fabric stash to pull fabric that might work out for Project Run and Play. One word, Nostalgia. It hit me so hard that had to take a break from working through it and write this down.

The hard part is where to start?  I guess humor is always good. I love when you reposted this the other day on Facebook it made me smile and I laughed because I am pretty sure Slim Jim and Dad both have had a fair amount of patience with our fabric stashes over the years.

facebook via. Sew News

I think that patience comes from besides the fact that creating it makes us very happy they are always amazing at the end result of a our finished projects.
After sorting through varying colors/types of lace, satin and organza I was so pleased to reflect back and remember all the beautiful and timeless things you have made for the members of our family. And because of your vision I was inspired and had the drive to make some elegant things with your guidance.
Then coming upon the swimsuit material I remembered the running shorts you would make for my Hersey Track Relay team every year when we went to state track. We were always excited to see what the design would be for that year.

First bag is Satin and Organza from my Senior Prom Dress (30 yard one)

My hope is that my salvaged scraps might be able to make something as beautiful or fun as your original designs and that some day that Boston and I will be able to have a similar connections and stories.

I Love you and thank you for all the hours you spent on me (whether that was sewing, cheering at sporting events or being my mom)!
Scary

P.S. In the future this is how I think you should sort your scraps in the future:
1. Fabric large enough to make children's clothing out of.
2. Fabric that would make nice flowers or bows. And only keep enough that you would actually do it. In large enough sections that they would be useful for doing so.
3.  Cut off/discard any scraps that are smaller than 1 inch in height/width.

I'm HERE!!!!!  My very first post as a Shaffer Sister!!! You girls are amazing!!!!  I love you all so much!!!

So the funniest thing happened last night!! While I was lounging on the couch late last night, Ralph came out of his room and headed straight to the kitchen.  Thinking he was getting a drink of water I thought nothing of it until he stopped at the trash can and started to pull his pants down to go to the bathroom.  I couldn't help but laugh as I had to direct my sleep walker to the bathroom!! Needless to say the next morning we all had a big laugh to set the morning off right!!

Our Grandma Twila passed away when I was a senior in high school. She had terminal cancer and when she received her diagnosis they told her that she had 1 1/2 years, but it ended up only being 21 days. It happened all so suddenly there wasn't time to finish up loose ends her house was left like a museum for her everyday. 

Summer 2003- A few months before her passing

Every year we went to her house for Thanksgiving, her house was full of laughter, aunts, crazy uncles and fun cousins. And the food was always amazing. She usually had enough desserts that we could alternate turkey, mashed potatoes and homemade rolls with a variety of homemade pies. Pumpkin, banana, coconut pies from Grandma and a variety of other pies from the rest of the adult women.
The evenings leading up to Thanksgiving were usually dedicated to pie making. I remember as a young teenager being invited to help with pies. Helping with Grandma was like being surrounded by sunshine, her infectious laugh was loud and full of joy.
This summer I went into my Grandma's house and all of her cookbooks had dust on them but as I flipped through the pages I was moved as I touched the pages that had been dirtied by her lifetime of home cooking. I only wrote down recipes that the pages were well worn or her handwritten adjustments were marked on the pages. This recipe was found on a very well worn page and it took me back to those joyful warm moments.

Grandma Twila's Banana Pie
2/3 c sugar
1/4 c corn starch
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c milk
4 egg yolk, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine softened
2 tsp vanilla
2 large bananas

Bake pie shell. Stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Blend milk and egg yolk; gradually stir into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat blend in butter and vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto filling in saucepan and cool to room temperature. Combine banana with pudding and then put in pie shell and refrigerate for 2-4 hours until firm and top with sweetened whipped cream.

Looking for a pie crust recipe I have heard good things about The Pioneer Woman Pie Crust.
Looking for a Sweetened Whipped Cream recipe? I love this one.

This month has been hard, I have had a hard time with how to be a good mom to Ryder. We have had lots of missed naps, outbursts in the store, running off at the store, destruction and plum disobedience. I felt like my mommy world was spinning out of control. I had reach my done point. I knew I couldn't wake up the next day exactly the way I had before and Ryder and I be happy.
I felt inspired to go to the Lord and hear what he would have me do. I then came across "Of Regrets and Resolutions" by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as I read his words I knew that I needed to change my actions and how I parented. I needed set aside time to just mess around with my kids doing the things they love, instead of focusing just on their physical needs (food, clean shelter, clean clothes, etc.), I needed to make a critical choice to look for those things that they need emotionally.
Goals I took out of this talk were to:
Purposely living each day ~ I usually do a pretty good job with filling my day with things to do, but purposely living is something that I need to start doing early in the morning when my kids first wake up (usually about 6 am). I decided to let Ryder help with some of the physical needs and spending emotional time together just talking, like making breakfast. We made waffled french toast which worked really good for breaking it up between the two of us and the kids love it.

source: Waffled french toast from Wafflizer

Pay attention to those you are with and not always multitasking~ Yikes, this one is very hard for me because I love multitasking but I have come to realize that often it means that I am doing only 50% of a bunch of jobs. I know that when I am focused more with those around me and less with the technology that is around me I am happier and more efficient person.
 Make those around you feel important and loved~ One of Ryder's needs that I have been ignoring is his need to get outside and play, because it is often cold and I don't want to deal with all the drama of getting the kids ready. Because he hasn't been getting his outside time he was emotionally but not physically exhausted when it came time for nap time. This week I tried to plan one outside activity a day so that Ryder could wear himself out. Though this outside time took anywhere from 1 hour to 2 hours of time out of my day it saved me so much time in disciplining because he was getting his desire and need met. This simple addition to our day showed Ryder that I love him and I respected the importance of his desire to be outside.

I am so grateful that I get those terrible weeks that humble me so that I can go back to the mommy drawing board and try again. I am so blessed to be able to squeeze and hug and cuddle these precious babies and I don't want to get done with this stage and feel like I missed opportunities to let my kids know that I love them.
Ryder just rolled out of bed and ran out here with the biggest smile, so I better get to some hugging and cuddling, see you all later.

I (Scary) graduated in Political Science so I often take an academic approach to politics. I try and hear both sides of an issue and then weigh it in my mind until I have settled on the side that I am most comfortable with. Right now in the State of Idaho we have 3 resolutions that are referendum, most of the advertising has been in support of these three pieces of legislation. I was talking to Momma and I learned so much about the other side of the issue that I asked Momma to join us today and express her opinion.


I believe this is most important election in which I have ever been able to vote. On the national level, we have huge contrasts between the candidates for President and it is our responsibility to study, pray, and vote our conscience. The man who is elected will not only lead our country and set the course of history throughout this century but he will also appoint up to six new Supreme Court judges. As I read my scriptures and ponder and pray over those truths, I realize there will be great or grave consequences to our decision.
At the state level, our vote is no less important. There has been much propaganda broadcast on each side of Propositions 1, 2, and 3. Much of this is designed to deceive people and confuse the issues. (See sources 1 and 2) HJR 2 and SJR 102 have largely been ignored. This too can confuse us about the issues. I am sharing this post because my daughter asked me to share my opinions on the propositions.

I must admit that the first time Tom Luna ran for Superintendent of Public Instruction, I voted for him. After seeing many of the disheartening and unproductive changes he was making in the schools, I did not vote for his reelection. Those who have taken the DWA and the DMA know that they were far better measures of proficiency than the untimed multiple choice ISAT. I have seen students put their heads down and push computer keys without reading the questions. At the time Mr. Luna ran for reelection, he campaigned on how well the state of Idaho was doing. Soon after his election, he began the push for the “Students Come First” initiatives.

We educators have always believed that “Students Come First!” These initiatives are not the way we believe we can actually put students first. We are not in education because we can become rich but because we love children and young people and believe that we can help them to grow in confidence, skills, knowledge, and performance to become the citizens and leaders of tomorrow. I don’t believe there is a limit to what a child can or should learn. We give them the tools and teach them how to use and sharpen them and then shine light on the possibilities that lie before them.
For the record, I began my teaching career in 1974 and took two and a half decades off to raise my children to be good citizens and contributing members of society. I am not and have never been a member of the teachers’ union. I asked for input from some of the teachers and administration with whom I work. One of them is a member of the IEA.
Following this, I asked those personally involved with the issues addressed in HJR 2 and SJR 102 about their understanding of how that legislation would affect them and the rest of us. This may come across as a bit dry to some of you but all of this legislation will ultimately affect you and your children. I would also suggest looking to see who owns your local media and how that may be affecting the messages you are receiving on the ballot issues.
Proposition 1

2)        www.spokesman.com October 28, 2012 in Idaho Pro-Proposition 1, 2, 3 ad uses Romney anti-teachers union quote Betsy Z. Russell

Hope your Halloween was as good as ours!

Goldilocks and the 3 bears

Al made her top and Power Shoes full outfit. Ty's costume was made by Momma Shaffer out of a dress she used to have! And Heber's is a hand-me down from Rhett's first birthday/Halloween.

I was Carmen SanDiego, Slim Jim was Waldo, Ryder was Big Foot, Boston was Pink Panther

My Costume was a red rain coat and the hat I got at a thrift store in Helena for 1 dollar it was bright pink and I spray painted it red.  Slim Jim's costume I used a white shirt and spray painted the strips on with Painters tape. And the poof on top of the hat is done from t-shirt. Rhett's Big Foot Costume you probably recognize. Boston's Pink Panther costume I made using some Leggings as a pattern for the pants, the feet of the pants I got from some footy pjs, and the sweatshirt was from a hooded sweatshirt she had. I didn't have any pink rib nit so I finished the arms and bottom of the sweatshirt with fuschia colored elastic.

The babies were happy to be along for the ride.

Kids walking up to the door.

Ty doing the robot.

Happy Halloween