The "Miss Madeline" Dress

My living room curtains and bedroom curtains remain un-sewn. Seriously, how could I concentrate on anything else, with this BEAUTIFUL fabric, and adorable pattern sitting in my sewing room?!

The girls watched my every move as this dress was coming along. They wanted to try it on at every step along the way.

When I announced that it was complete, Jane sprinted to me to be the first one to put it on. Of course I stressed over and over again that this dress belongs to both of them. But I can see already, I'm going to need a second one.

Good thing I got a good night sleep last night, I think tonight is going to be a late night. But totally worth it to see how excited the girls are about the little apron dress, in a new longer length. Perfectly irresistible for the new fall wardorbe.

I'm off to sew...

Dear Darin-

Who needs a 40" Sony flat screen HD TV?

From the looks of it, all your children need for some family fun is a sweet 7 incher and a bed to pile up on.

Love,
Annee

One giant point for Colorado!

Because, I never saw this spider living there!!!

Enough said, right?!

But, it was a beautiful sunny day today. On my walk to capture a photo of the spider, I turned back to see if the ladies were still behind me. My heart was warmed as I caught a pure glimpse of their bond. I was happy to have the camera at that moment. I hope I can remember the warm feeling that went along with that moment.

My word wall, photographed, as promised for my sisters. No comments necessary. I've been taking a bit of grief that I put vinyl letters on my wall. But in my defense, I think it turned out rather "Crate and Barrel"ish.

I hung the words up on Sunday morning, before church. After church, George came walking out of primary with a little bag of kissables. It's 4pm when it's after-church, and we're all hungry and tired. When George got to the car, he started handing out kissables to his siblings. He was genuinely happy about it too. I said something like, "George, that's really nice of you to be sharing with everyone." And he said, "Well mom, it says "share" on our wall now. I want to try harder to share."

Maybe you want to consider putting the word "share" on your wall too...

Ruby is learning "all about me" at preschool this week. I took a picture of her this morning. When I showed her how it turned out she said, "I look angry, because, because, I was angry. I wanted to take a picture of you. Then I would show you a happy face."

I just thought that was funny.

P.S. Does anyone know what that gross spider is called? Henry and George have heard it rumored about on the playground that if he takes one bite of you, you would fall straight to the ground, poisoned. I'm not entirely upset about such playground rumors. But I'm pretty sure it's false. They would like me to back up my claim. I just don't know what that ugly spider is called.

P.P.S. The only thing more fun than sewing, is seeing your creations being worn. Please click here to enjoy Baby June sporting her "Annee Earnest Originals". She makes the perfect model, whether she wants to be or not!

Happy Chuseok.

I spent most of Friday morning at the boy's school for their "Chuseok" celebrations. Chuseok is the Korean harvest festival. Of course, I don't bring my camera to such events. That would be too boring if I had tons of cute pictures of all the kids dressed up in their traditional Korean garb. And totally annoying if I had pictures of all the tables full of tradition Korean food that all the families contributed to the celebration. Imagining such pictures, that's much more fun, right?!

In George's class I learned that it's a holiday to celebrate the bountiful harvest, and remember their ancestors who defended their country and traditional ways from various enemies over the years. In Henry's class, I mostly ate more traditional Korean food (and some chocolate chip cookies that he told me I simply had to try!).

On Friday night, we celebrated fall in a very American way by going out to the Osan High School football game. Too bad it was a loss for our team, but it was a great night of family fun all the same.

Jane was truly inspired by the cheerleaders and had to test out some of her new moves at a Saturday morning dance party...(never mind Ruby's crazy sound effects in the background.)

A little bit of wandering and shopping off base in the afternoon. The boys finally got to see "Star Wars" at the theater. I got to barter with a Korean shop owner about fake Jimmy Choo bag that I decided I needed. We ended our day at a church party, where we all tried to honor the holiday weekend with our version of an Asian dish. I brought an Asian Chicken Salad. That counts, right?!

But then tonight, as I was putting the girls to bed, I closed my eyes for the first time since opening them, and I saw myself driving up Briargate Parkway, in Colorado Springs.

The whole scene flashed behind my eyelids in a heart beat probably, but I was transported...

I saw myself driving up Briargate Parkway. I could see all the shops, Gymboree, Banana Republic, Pottery Barn, etc. I arrive up at the top of the hill at the YMCA where I drop the girls off at Kids Watch, while I indulge in a full hour of running. In my reverie, when we're done at the gym, we drive on to the brand new and delightful Super Target where we shop and peruse the isles in a nearly empty store. After Super Target we start to drive back home. Headed down Briargate Pkwy, this time with a full view of the Front Range, the Academy and blue skies. I soon hit Woodmen Road where inevitably I'd pass a girl friend out and about, we'd wave, and I'm smiling.

But then I opened my eyes and I'm here in Korea. It's okay. It's delightful in it's own special way, and we are having lots of meaningful family experiences...and there are wonderful people here too. There is something about autumn, and thinking about all the Koreans this weekend gathering with their families, celebrating their country, their heritage and their food, that is making me miss mine.

Good night.

Blue skies in Seoul.

This weekend we drove to Seoul to attend the LDS temple. Saturday was a beautiful day with blazing blue skies. Were it not for the crazy roads I drove on, and the view of the Hann river, I might for a moment have thought I was back in Colorado.



On the temple grounds there is a little house where children can stay and play while the adults are in the temple. The kids all had fun playing with some of their friends from our church here in Osan who were also spending the day up in Seoul.




Thanks to Aunt Rachel, we had a perfect Family Home Evening lesson tonight. She spent her summer in Jerusalem, and sent the boys a set of sling shots. I had been hiding them to pull out for just such an occasion. We started our lesson by reading the story of David and Goliath (or "Dave" as Jane liked to call him) in the Bible. Then to emphasize what a miracle it was that David was able to sling Goliath right in the middle of his forehead, we took the kids out behind our apartment to see how hard it is to sling rocks out of slingshot. It is indeed very difficult. So we hope that we were able to really emphasize the point which was when you are "fighting" on the Lord's side, He will give you the strength that you need to "win."

Hopefully they remember that part, and not just the fact that we were throwing rocks, and got to have root beer floats for dessert!

Thanks for the visual aids Rachel!

Could somebody please update my blog already...

Or do I got to do everything my self around here?! I just can't seem to find the words to describe all the happenings. On Saturday, Darin gave me the day off to head up to Seoul with some friends. I hit the fabric market again. And I also found the girls some delightfully Asian pjs.

Right after this picture was taken, the girls started fighting.

Jane insisted that the red ones should be hers. I told her we'd take turns with both of them, and we would share them both. About five minutes later Ruby came to me in tears, in nothing but her underwear, saying that Jane took her pjs off from her. Sure enough Jane had wrestled the jammies right off of Ruby's body.

That's sort of the way it's been going around here lately. Like on Monday when we had a day off for Labor Day, we decided it would be lovely to finally take the kids to Everland Theme Park.



It's a slightly creepy imitation of Disneyland. Seriously, click on the link, it is almost an exact duplicate, only with a Korean twist (as in all the food is gross). But everyone says it's a great time for families and it's super close and easy to get to, so we decided we'd give it a try. Only it rained, ALL DAY LONG. But we stayed, in the rain, ALL DAY LONG. The kids all say it was tons of fun. I'm reserving judgment until we return on a sunny day.

Of course, we left the camera in the car. I told you, it's been one of those weeks.

But today was good. Today was the girls' first day of preschool. They woke up happy and excited about going. Ruby wanted to wear Jane's strawberry dress (I have no idea how they decide what belongs to who.), and Jane actually let me pick out what she is wearing. They both let me do their hair and we were on time!

As we were parking the car here is what Ruby said to Jane,

"Whatever Jane, it's not scary at school. Just get out of the car."

Three hours later, when we came home from school Jane took her pony tail out, changed out of her dress, and back into her jammies. The girls had their little buddy Kaleb over to play. Here was the camping scene they were engaged in.

At one point, all three of them were singing a song at the same moment, making up lyrics as they went.

Jane's went a little something like:

"About my dreams, I dream about Belle.
My dreams I know. I'm a nice girl.
I like my friends. It's going to be fun."

Her little buddy Kaleb's song went a little something like:
"I dream about rhinos and their sounds.
I like going crazy.
I like going wild, like my dinosaurs."

You can't tell me that girls and boys aren't different! I won't believe you.

Here are some of the fabrics and some of the creations that have made me happy recently:

(best friend Liz's little daughter Grace wearing her "pinny" that we sent her for her 2nd birthday)

Step aside chocolate chip cookies.

My new friend and neighbor, Amy, told me about this little treat that she likes to make. She swore it was simple, and completely delicious. She was not kidding. These cookies are amazing. So simple, and yet so delectable. Please make some today. You will not regret it in the least.

(except you might regret it after you have eaten five of them...)


The recipe:

1 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
(cream all of those ingredients together)

In a separate bowl combine:

2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Form the dough into little balls. Drop the balls into your mini muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.

While the cookies are baking set your special helpers to task unwrapping the Reeses mini peanut butter cups. When the cookies are done baking, bring them out of the oven and quickly stick a peanut butter cup into each cookie.

Enjoy!

After Darin got home from work tonight, we decided dinner should be in Korea (as Ruby said). And thank goodness we moved to Korea, otherwise we might not have been able to eat at such a place as Casa Del Mexicano. The reason it's good, their chef is Mexican. Who would have guessed?!

Then we did a little walking around in our neighborhood. Here are some of our usual sights....The main gate to Osan Air Base. The boys were less than eager to pose.

The bag shop that carries "Jack Georges". But mostly every time we see that sign, we think of George's best friend Jack, who we had to leave back in Colorado Springs. We think of him a lot when we walk around off base.

The produce truck.

He drives around with a loud speaker announcing all of the available produce on his truck that day. It's a strange voice that comes out of his loud speaker, but I guess it's convenient to have your produce come to you, rather than you have to go find the produce? I have yet to use the service.

We will never want to forget this place. We stop here EVERYTIME we go out the front gates. Our DVD collection has nearly tripled since our over seas move. The boys love this place. Tonight I made Henry do the transaction all on his own. He was nervous, as usual, but I felt like he's seen me do it enough times that he could handle it. I needed to take pictures.

Just a typical Korean store front. Please read the sign: "one who views in unique manner". I have no idea what that is supposed to mean. I have yet to view in unique manner I guess. I just walk past this store.

Of course, Miss Kim's BUR GER truck. If you enlarge the picture, you will see her piles of eggs available. It's hot outside. I do not see any refrigeration on those eggs. Do you think that's okay? I don't really. Maybe that's why Korea smells so weird.

Of course some things are universal, no matter where in the world we are, like how cute Jane is.

(and yes, that couple in the back ground are wearing matching outfits. It's something you see often around here. I have no idea the meaning behind it. But it's fairly common.)

Anyway, some days all of these sights feel so normal, but I just wanted to make sure and record them, because really, it's not so normal here.

The End.

They did it.

The night before I made them cakes. (Darin accused me of being the only one in the mood for a party?!)

The morning of, we set three alarm clocks, took showers, packed lunches, sat down together for breakfast...

Headed out the door, ON TIME.

Recruited dad to embark upon the adventure with us.

Arrived at school all wrapped up in courage.

And celebrated the success of it all that night with dinner at Chili's.

Thumbs up was the symbol if you had a great first day of school. Thanks for making me so proud, Henry and George. I love you both!

Our week in review.

Some highlights, and low lights...

1. It was the last week of summer! I tried to focus on the positive and allow the boys to enjoy their last week of slothful living. I likewise tried to enjoy each morning that I did not have to get out of bed before 8am. Next week, that will all change!

2. By Wednesday, Henry and I got to have a little afternoon date together. He was feeling the effects of his annual "back to school stomach flu" and was suffering from a massive head ache. To help get his mind off of the looming first day of school, the little brothers and sisters went to play at a friends house, and he and I got to run some errands and venture off base together for my first solo voyage in the van with my newly obtained Korean drivers license. Destination? The fabric store of course. He humored me by picking out a new fabric so that hopefully next week we can make him a pair of lounge pants that are the correct length. It was sweet to have some one-on-one time. It was a highlight.

3. A delightfully unexpected package arrived in the mail. Best friend Liz randomly purchased a few little Gymboree items for my ladies. Additionally she threw in TWO sewing patterns. What more could I have asked for in a mid-week package? It was a treat. The girls instantly changed into their new clothes, and I began sewing again, of course. (Pictures to follow soon).

4. My girls got themselves a coveted spot in a the newly developed pre-school program for this school year! Tuesday and Thursday morning I will have 3 whole hours all to myself. There will only be one million things on my list to do during those three hours, but I'll be grateful all the same.

5. At the same time that I was accomplishing getting the girls registered, Henry was still suffering from his back-to-school condition, and indeed threw up at the newly constructed base Community Center. And thus begins perhaps a few of the low lights...

6. We had a few too many trips to the BX this week. By the end of the week, any trip to the BX ended miserably. Our grand finale was when Jane tipped over a rack full of bathrobes and made it fall to the ground spilling bathrobes all over the floor. This was a very LOW moment. She will not come back to the BX with me anytime soon.

7. Darin's work schedule would have to make the list of low lights. We didn't see him much this week. I am reminded of other families who don't see their military member at all, so we are grateful that he does come home. But we can't help but feel a little bit sorry for ourselves that we can't see him as much as we would like to. A low light.

8. By Friday (today), Henry was admitting that his "illness" might not actually be an illness as much as a condition of nerves. This makes my highlights list. Isn't acceptance one of the first steps to recovery? He has to admit and accept to the fact that he is a nervous sort, before we can help equip him with the tools he needs to overcome his fears. It was a break through to have him willing to have a conversation. Thus, it makes the highlights list.

9. A brief outing out the main gates produced two highlights. When Ruby turned and said to me "Oh, so we do still live in Korea", because she saw the familiar off-base scene, that made me laugh, and I needed to laugh. The boys likewise were all jazzed up when they walked past one of the 43 DVD vendors who was playing a copy of the NEW Star Wars Clone War movie. The sound quality was outstanding, and the picture was above average, and they were absolutely giddy with excitement. A funny exchange about the price, where I thought it was first $5, and then $30, and we ended up getting it for $3, left us all laughing about the fact that we do indeed live in Korea.

Thus ends our week in review. It's been a long week, but I think it served it's purpose in the grand end-of-summer scheme of things. Here's to a happy weekend and do please be praying for all of us as we round the corner to Monday morning!!

Lounge pants.

Now all I need is permission to lounge all day long!

These came from an Amy Butler pattern found in her "In Stitches" book.

Flammin' hot pants and stuff.

Some smokin' pants were sewn for Henry today. It was decided that everyone should have an article of clothing to remember the sewing craze of '08. Tonight, if all goes well, I will get mine.

Henry got his this morning. (Which will soon become George's. I added 3 inches to the pattern in the length, thinking surely that would suffice for Henry. His legs are darn long.)

The girls wore their 45th thing (girl stuff is just so cute to make!) on Sunday. We've been holding off with the bird dresses until we had the matching purses to go with them. I worked like crazy on Saturday night on the matching bags. But I just couldn't do it. Somewhere around 1am the instructions suddenly didn't make any sense. So the lining is not attached. But Jane insisted that she could carry the bag anyway.

George got his apron. You know what this means, Darin is being left out. Help me think, we should definitely think of something fun to sew up for him. Maybe matching pants to Henry? I will think on that.

Steve, here is our church building. The front side is probably more noticeable, but it was complicated on Sunday, so this was the best I could do. Were you ever there?

And that's it for now. Six days until the first day of school!! And then the sewing will really begin. Just kidding. You know, I post this stuff for a few reasons...

1. Someday when I'm totally over sewing I'll be able to look back and remember when it used to come so easily.
2. As a sewer, I'm always looking for inspiration. Maybe others out there are just looking for a cute idea to try, or a tiny spark of inspiration to take needle and thread to fabric.

I have no other reasons, I guess. Oh yeah, my sisters like to see what I make.

But seriously, I have more fabric and more patterns, so it's alright to keep sewing, right?!

There just isn't enough time.

Know what I mean?!