Jane came up with the idea for her birthday shirt.  I think we were discussing how this year would be her last year in single digits when she piped up with, "Not in Roman Numerals!"

So...here it is.  IX.  Double digits this year and next year, a single X.

I made it while she was sleeping, the night before her big day.  She loves it - thank goodness.  I just never know with her.

I have to tell you all about the cake, too.  Jane loves peanut butter.  Loves it.  She requested a peanut butter cake.  I thought about making her this cake from Smitten Kitchen, but thought it would be too rich for her tastes.  She also doesn't like cream cheese frosting (crazy, I know!).  We went back to the old standby of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting with some Reese's on top.  Then, Emily gave me the great idea of putting a layer of Ina's Peanut Butter Frosting (scroll down) in between the chocolate layers.  It was genius!  So so good.  Try it.  You won't be sorry.

Off to string lights on the tree and get out the nutcrackers.  Happy Thursday everyone!

So here I am, nine years of motherhood behind me.  At times, I can hardly believe it and then in some moments, I feel as if it has always been this way.

Sweet Jane.  Have I said that every year?  If I didn't, I should have because it is true.  This girl is sweet to the core.  She always has been and will continue to be, I am sure.  Some things about Jane at age nine:

She is loving and kind.
She is friendly and polite.
She is a voracious reader, or in her words, she "gobbles up books".  Right now it is all Harry Potter, all the time.  She finished the final book on Thanksgiving Day and right away started reading the first one again.
If I were to tell her that she could go to Hogwart's, she'd be packing a bag.
She is an artist and really likes fashion.
She has her very own style - some of it good, some of it bad, some of it brilliant.
She won't wear skirts.
She really dislikes pink.
Red is her favorite color.
She likes to swim, play volleyball and ride her bike.
Social studies and science are her favorite subjects.
She is 1/2" taller than Kate.
She never puts away her laundry and her room is mostly a mess.
When she grows up, she wants to be an artist.
She might even go to fashion school.
She is dramatic - very, very dramatic.
She is "mostly a vegetarian" (her words).
Pizza is her favorite food.

Happy Birthday Jane!  I am so lucky to be your mom.  I love you lots!

Every year, I make each of the girls a t-shirt for their birthday.  Here's what I made for Kate:

I wish I could take credit for the idea, but that was all Kate.  Kids really have the best ideas!  Sometimes they aren't really practical, but they are always creative.  About a month ago, we were driving in the car and she said she wanted tally marks on her birthday shirt.  Perfect!  Of course, it was 6:30 on the morning of her birthday when I finally got around to making it.  Some things never change.  I do know what I am going to do for Jane's shirt (also her idea).  I have two and a half weeks to do that one.  Let's see if I can avoid procrastination.  Probably not.  (Just me trying to be realistic).

I am so thrilled that it is Friday!  I don't have anything big planned for the weekend.  I might paint our bathroom.  It looks like such an easy project, but it might be one of those that takes more time than I think.  I have some school auction projects to get started.  And then there is the studio - messy again.  I know that is a big project.  There will be some de-stashing, so stay tuned.  I also have some yarn I don't want and plan to offer that up for sale here.  Everything will be first come, first served.

Have a great weekend!

It's really hard for me to believe that my baby is seven years old today.  Time flies.  It does.

Somethings about Kate:

She's funny and has a heck of a belly laugh.
She's sweet to her friends and a bit sassy, too.
She says pink is her favorite color, but she likes green too.
She's a head taller than everyone in her class.
She's a good artist and loves to read.
Her favorite subject is math.
She's still afraid of the dark.
She loves to sing and dance and does both with her very own style.
She likes to help in the kitchen, but hates to clean her room.
She makes me smile.
She's stubborn.  (Wonder where she gets that?)
She challenges me in the best possible ways.
Her best friend is Jane.
When she grows up she wants to be a babysitter.
She likes to have fun and act crazy.

Happy Birthday to my sweet girl!  I love you loads.
xoxox

Whenever we are leaving on a trip, the last minute scramble to get things packed is always just that:  last minute.  While I am packing us up, the girls seem to get into things, making a big mess right before we leave.  About a year ago, I came up with a packing list for them so that they could be busy in a productive way while I was packing my own clothes.

This is today's list.  We went over it together and later, when I am ready to put things in the suitcase, they will go gather what they need and bring it to me.  Occasionally, I will have to edit their choices to make sure that they are appropriate for the season (no tank tops in winter, no corduroys in summer, etc.).  I just send them back to get the right thing and keep packing my own stuff.

Kate wasn't reading when I started using this system, so I drew each item and wrote its name beside it.  Although she's reading now, I still use the drawings because it makes it cute.  And really, cute makes the whole thing fun, you know.  I've thought about making a master list that I can just print out each time.  Would you all be interested in that?

This is a great tool for grocery lists too - draw little apples, bananas, gallons of milk and loaves of bread and then divvy up your list between your helpers.  It gets them involved and keeps them happy in the store.

We're off to Telluride in the morning.  I'll be checking in from there with some other things to share.  See you next week.

Today is the last day of school.  Well, really, tomorrow is the official last day, but the girls won't be there.  We will be on a plane, headed to the beach on tickets bought before we had all those snow days this past winter.  Last night, while I should have been packing, I made something to take along with us.

My parents gave me a new camera for my birthday  (thanks Mom and Dad!).  I really wanted a small point and shoot for those times when it is not practical to carry my trusty rebel.  I picked out this little Canon that easily fits in my pocket.  Of course, the camera did not come with a case and I didn't think to buy one.  So I grabbed some fabric, batting and bias tape and made one.

Well, make that two.  The flip needed one, too.

I did some free motion quilting on the pink one and used the walking foot on the yellow one.  The coordinating print at the top of each bag is the lining, which I made longer, brought over the top and sewed down to make a casing.  It was hard to maneuver such a small item on the machine, but I plowed ahead puckers and all.  If I do this again, which I doubt, I will try a different method.

So there you go.  Classic Erin procrastination.  I really should have been packing.

We'll be gone for a week - I doubt I will post while we are away, but you never know.  See you soon, friends.  Take care.

Sometimes I get an idea in my head and then I lose it.  Just like Rachel said.  Other times, it sticks and it won't go away.  My latest project had been floating around in there for a long time.  I completely and totally blame it on Leslie.  You see, she made those lounge pants.  My friend Suzanne saw that post and made her own.  But Suzanne never uses a pattern.  She wings it.  She just traced a pair of pants she owned and made herself a pair.  And then she made some for her girls.

There are plenty of things I can sew without a pattern.  But when it comes to clothes, I am pattern follower.    I don't sew many clothes - that is probably why.  I used to sew dresses for the girls.  I even made them some skirts and tops, but not so much any more.  Jane got picky, I got my feelings hurt and lost the desire.  Pajama pants, though....I thought Jane might just go for that.

On Sunday, I channeled my inner-Suzanne and traced a pair of Jane's flannel p.j. pants.  I added seam allowances, and then tried to figure out how in the heck to fit a pair of girls' size 8 p.j. pants on one width of fabric.  They just fit.  Just.

I used my serger to stitch these up.  FAST.  Super FAST.  Just how I like my projects.  I added button holes on either side of the front center seam so I could add a mock ribbon tie.  There is a full circle of elastic in the casing - each 12 inch length of ribbon is sewn to the elastic just inside the button holes.  This way there is no chance of my-pants-won't-stay-up issues, but they still have that cute touch.

Jane was not very happy with the fabric choices.  She sees all that fabric in the sewing room and thinks I can just make anything out of a fat quarter.  Hmmm....that would be nice, but I needed 1 1/4 yards and the pickings were kind of slim.  Not bad if you like say, green.  Or pink.  Just not much blue.  Or red.  The one I thought she would like, she didn't.  Instead of listening to her whine, I just chose for her.  I figured Kate would get two pairs if Jane never wore hers.

See, Kate is happy with almost anything.  Well, anything pink, that is.

I wish I had enough red ric rac to trim the hem of Jane's pair, but oh well.  I'm still going to call these a success.  Jane has worn them two nights in a row.  If that doesn't make them a winner, I don't know what does.

So you see, Leslie, it is your fault.  In a roundabout, very good, inspiring kind of way.  You, too, Suzanne.  You, too.

Thank goodness for friends.

Here I am - blogging in the afternoon again.  It's been a wonderfully long weekend.  The girls were out of school at noon on Thursday and they go back tomorrow morning.  Fatty and I took them on an overnight getaway Friday.  We went here.  It was incredibly fun and 24 hours away was just the right length of time.  We had friends for dinner last night and today the girls and I stayed in our p.j.'s until noon.

Jane put together a Playmobil set - all by herself.  Kate made lunch for the two of them (rice cakes with peanut butter, anyone?).  They cleaned the playroom and put their clothes away.  It was a nice change of pace.  They had no school and I pretty much had the day off.  That was a nice treat.

I am headed back to Telluride on Wednesday with some girlfriends for a long weekend.  I'm not sure if I will be around the blog or not.  Stay well friends.