Weekend News

So what are we up to this weekend? A lot of nothing much.

Friday, after school, McKenzie had her drawing class at the Community Center. She has been doing that for two months now and she really enjoys it. She is very, very good. If I remember, I'll have to scan some of her drawings. The first month she was taught how to use colored pencils and how to blend them. This month they have been working on blending with charcoal pencils. McKenzie did a very lovely drawing of sailboats last week and this week it was a pear, I think. The community center was crazy busy with hardly any parking because of early voting. I think that's a good sign that there will be a big voter turnout this year. Mike and I have absentee ballots so that we don't have to fight the crowds on Election Day.

After drawing class, the girls and I went to Kohl's and Michael's and stopped at Taco Bell for dinner, a rare treat for Becca. TB is one of Becca's faves, but not high on the list for Kenzie and me. At Kohl's we had $30 in Kohl's Bucks from our shoe shopping trip last week that had to get spent this week, so we picked out some hand towels and a candle (Spiced Plum. . . yum!). At Michael's we picked up some supplies for Becca's school project -- a poster advertising a favorite book. Rebecca chose the book "Dragonfly and the Web of Dreams." So she has decided to create a huge rainbow web for a background and we needed poster board and some clear glue. Glitter and paint we have gobs of! I'll post a photo when she is finished.

After dinner we headed to Joann's Fabrics to pick out supplies for Halloween costumes. We are getting a VERY late start this year. And of course the girls have picked out very ambitious costumes for me to sew. Rebecca wants to be a golden fairy and McKenzie a wood nymph, both inspired by "Anne of Green Gables" that I read to the girls in September. Of course there are no wood nymphs in "Anne of Green Gables", but that never stops Anne from imagining that there are wood nymphs cavorting around the Lake of Shining Waters in the moonlight and golden Fairies sitting in the trees along the White Way of Delight. Again, I'll post when I am done. . .

So we got home at 8:30 or so and there was a very happy and excited dog waiting for us. Sophie absolutely loves running out to the car to greet us when we get home. She runs full out and falls all over us, licking us and jumping around. I would say that it is very annoying, but how can you be upset when there is someone in the world that is soooo excited to see you??? She loves with such intensity. I think that is a trait unique to dogs. I've seen a cat glad to have me home, but nothing like the display Sophie puts on.

Saturday I spent the day sewing. and sewing. and sewing some more. Well, technically I spent the morning cutting out the fabric and helping Becca start her school project. Then I started sewing. I sewed until 9 when I went to bed! So exciting. Rebecca's underdress and vest are done, with wings still to go. With the pale gold color scheme she chose, she looks a lot like an angel. The girls and I had ordered a DVD from Netflix of "Anne of Avonlea." It's a 1975 version done by the BBC, and we were so excited to watch it, but it was a flop. Nothing like the 1985 version with Megan Follows. So much for that.

Today, I read for a bit this morning and looked at the morning paper and then we all went to lunch and took Mike's car to the car wash. He is still driving a 1999 Chrysler Concorde. It has 145,000 miles on it. We are thankful for every month it keeps running. It is blessedly paid for and it is nice to only have one car payment. Keep your fingers crossed that it continues to run until mine is paid for. Well, that might be pushing it. . . I have about 3 years to go on mine still.

After lunch I started on McKenzie's costume. I had to create hers from scratch because she is an odd size right now. Too big for the children's costume patterns and too small for the misses patterns. So I modified Rebecca's pattern and had to lengthen it and then do some major darting, etc. Kind of fun, doing the tricky stuff. If I had a dress form I could totally pretend I am a contestant on Project Runway! So her vest is halfway done with the skirt and wings yet to be started. It's gonna be a rush to get it all done, but I'm sure it will. Probably on Thursday night at 11:30!

Well, I have had my break and the sewing machine is calling to me to get my butt back in gear.