Matching Bags

Sewing Project Number 2

For my next project, I made matching satchels for Chloe and I. Again, Helen walked me through this project but as I continue to make different things, I am learning so much. This fabric I bought off of the clearance remnant section at a local fabric store. The lining is a yellow that matches the yellow inside the palm branches. Chloe loves having something that matches mommy.

Why do the pictures of our kids always seem to include chocolate around the mouth?

This Time Last Year

"Time goes so fast," I seem to say constantly. But it really does! This picture last year shows Chloe with just a smidgen of hair shooting out above her shirt collar and Elijah with his beautiful, baby curls. My goofy grin says it all, family bliss! Praise God for the joy He has given us in our family.

Learning How to Sew

I have been inspired by several people to learn how to sew. My mother-in-law has kindly agreed to take me on as her student. I really have enjoyed the two times we have sewed together. This afternoon she helped me make two pillow case dresses for Chloe.

This is the first dress we made out of a pink pillowcase and I added apricot accents.

The ribbon added a pretty detail to the plain pillowcase (from Walmart - sorry everyone).

This next dress was made out of a swatch of fabric that I found on clearance. It was so colorful that I thought it would look pretty with Chloe's red hair.

Here Chloe is modeling the dress.
I am going to make two more dresses for Chloe and her best friend Chaeli. I picked up a pretty piece of leftover material, also from the clearance section, that is cream with blue flowers on it.

Laura (on Ben's sign on)

Messy Children

Elijah with chocolate everywhere
Chloe is much more dainty... she maintains chocolate only around the necessary area.

Giving
Laura, here. Ben and I swap blogging quite a bit even though Ben's name is on the post. It is something we need to resolve. This year, Ben and I have witnessed the support and blessing of the body of Christ more than ever before in our lives. It seems that even when things should be winding down as we get further away from the event, something more happens. We got a letter in the mail from an anonymous person saying they had paid a month's mortgage for us. FOR REAL! Who does that except for our Brothers and Sisters? We almost fell over. I remember lugging the laptop to the hospital during one of his stays so that he could pay the bills. We saw the balance on our mortgage statement and thought it was a clerical error that they would find and correct later. It wasn't; we found out yesterday. To you, anonymous mortgage payer, THANK YOU. We pray to God, the King of the Universe, to bless you greatly for your selfless giving.
As a side note, I have been challenged in my own giving thanks to all of you.