We're Off to see the Baby.....

I wanted the girls to be able to meet Grand-Princess number one. We have lots of things going on during our weekends but even more going on in the week days. 
 
All the girls were wondering when they would get a chance to meet their new niece. We talked about different days that may work and we had a day planned to go up over a holiday weekend as it is ten hours to drive there and back. 

Princess Four found that she had a mandatory practice for her community choir on that day so we rearranged the plan so we could head up on a Sunday instead. We met up with Princess Two and Three along the way and stayed the night at Princess Two's house about halfway between our home and Princess One's house. 

We drove the three hours the Sunday morning and were able to stay from about noon until 3 and got to enjoy Grand Princess One for the entire time as she ate as we arrived and was awake the entire time we were there.

We had to leave early as Princess Four forgot she had practice that night at 8 with a five hour drive to get home after we dropped off Princess Two and Three along the way. 

We were sad to have to leave but as you can see by all these adorable smiles of the girls holding their new niece, the visit was a hit. They couldn't have had bigger smiles or a better time. 

The best part was just after we left and got on the road, Prince number One told us that she filled her diaper and we missed having to help change it! The girls didn't feel so sad about missing out on that. 

I made a lunch for us all and the roads were clear the entire way home. 

It was a wonderful trip and I thought since Princess One is doing "Wizard of Oz" for the baby's room, the title was fitting. We had a long journey on a road to a city with a beautiful Prize at the end...... Sounds like a movie ending....

The best ending for me, was that I got to hold Grand Princess number One again after a few days of not seeing her. Her little face had changed already and gotten a bit rounder. 
 
I also got to give my Princess Number One a few more hugs and tell her how proud I am of the woman and mother she has become. I gave her the butterfly necklace she is wearing in this picture after she gave birth to her daughter. She has spread her wings and has become a beautiful mother of her own. 

We bought the butterfly in Peru when we did our service mission. It is made from real butterfly wings lined with glass and silver. I wanted to give her something special for her first child... I guess she liked it as she wore it for our visit.

I am excited to see what her daughter will be off to see and what roads she will take. I hope in the end, she is as happy as her mother is with her choices....

It's About Time - Part 4

Princess Five has been working on her "Watch" project for a few months so there have been watches on the basement counter for a few months as she chose which one's she wanted and what frame she wanted etc. 

The other day, I walked into the kitchen with a movie that I picked out to watch as Princess Five and I worked on the "Watch" project. 

I set it down and on the counter were the items in the top photo along with another white watch. 

I happen to be listening to the book "A Wrinkle in Time" right now on Audio Tape so it was on the counter. (I listen to audio books almost daily, here is a post about that.) Princess Three came home for the weekend and left the white and black watches on the counter when leaving as she decided she didn't want them after saying she did on another visit. 

Someone from church gave Princess Five this handout on Sunday and it ended up on the counter with the tapes, video and watches. That movie has been sitting in my bedroom for MONTHS if not a year for me to watch but I don't watch movies in there unless I am sick or something as I really don't have time so when Princess said she wanted my help and asked if we could watch a movie, I grabbed it and was headed down to work on her project. 

When I got my drink and went to pick up the video, I noticed that the only things on the counter were items dealing with "Time."   

I just stood there for a minute laughing, realizing that those were the items on the counter and I was headed down to work on "watches" to watch "A Time Machine" movie. Later, I laughed again when I realized that this sports clock was sitting by the front door for someone to pick up for two days as the lady kept postponing picking it up. 

Then, after taking the picture of the clock, I head into my bedroom and realize that this bracelet with a  watch on it has been sitting on my desk for a month as I kept forgetting to ask the girls if they wanted it.

We finished Princess Five's "Watch" project and put it up in her room and she has that cute inner working clock just below it as well. 

It seems like I am not getting a message somewhere that all of those items on the counter were placed there by others except the audio book which I had just picked out to listen to a day or so before. Why did it pick that out of the hundreds of options.... I am not sure. Why did I pick that old movie when we have several new release movies I haven't see yet?

I just think "Someone" is trying to tell me it is "Time" for something..... Maybe I just need to figure out what it is.....

Oh, the movie didn't get watched until I took a bath a few days later and it wasn't bad. It is by "Dream Works." 

If you have any ideas on the "time" issue, please feel free to share them with me. It is kind of interesting how it worked out.

It's About Time - Part 3

I wanted to show you how cute the project Princess Five made turned out. She picked out the lace and put it on the watches and hung them from the wooden dowels but some of the laces were too thin and the watches were hanging leaning one way or another due to the lace sliding to the side. 


She got a bit tired of trying to make it work and the other problem she had, was that the background on this shelf was light like the wood around it and so the lace and watches weren't showing up well on the light colored wood. 


I purchased some black foam board to put in the back of the frame. 

I had her working on it herself so she could take all the credit but she said part of the fun was having me suggest things and spend time with her so I helped her find the right size lace for each width of watch so they would hang straighter and she wanted colors that were not bright but more of an antique look. 


Once we had that done, I had her measure the lengths so that the watches didn't hit the bar beneath and also that they weren't all hanging at the same length so there would be some variety on each dowel. 

We finished it last night and she put it up on the shelf in her room. She was glad to get the project finished as it has taken a few months from start to finish as we changed the "frame" container three times and worked up to this hanging design. With one of the "Frames" we were going to glue them on the background and another was a silver spoon display case and we were going to hang them from ribbons off the holders. 


One was just a shadow box from the craft store. However, she liked the color of this one as it matches the desk in the room she just moved into and as the shelf is just above the desk, she wanted to use the natural wood one. 

I think she did an amazing job on her project and is using her talents to create cute things.

It's About Time - Part 2

I had her work on it by herself one night figuring out what watches to put on which dowel and what lace and ribbon she wanted to use for each watch. 

 
You can see in these photos she worked hard on laying the dowels out and gluing on the ribbons and lace to have them all hang at

It's About Time - Part 1

Princess Five has wanted to make a "Watch" or "Timepiece" project for a few months. She asked me to start collecting watches. I purchased a few bags of jewelry from a second hand store and they had watches in them. I also sent out a request on facebook and to my family and friends on email asking if anyone had any old watches (working or not) for a project that Princess was doing.

A few people gave us some items and we looked at a few different options for the "frame." I purchased a tea spoon collection frame/holder. I was getting ready to paint it when I saw this white shadow box frame which I thought could be cute.

Just after that, I found this hutch type shadow box that was $20 at Hobby Lobby. I got it at a second hand store but it was new and unused.

I gave Princess Five the option of which "frame" or Box she wanted to use and since she was going into her new room, she chose the light wood box frame as it matches the desk in her room.

I am not sure what the box was actually made for but it is a box that has four dowels that fit into slots. Since there are dowels, instead of gluing the watches onto the backing, she decided it would be cute to have the watches hanging. 

She sifted out the watches and used less than half of them for her project so I may use them at some point for another project.

The first thing she did, was to lay all the watches out on the table and sort them by the one's she likes. She then sorted them down a little more by picking some of different sizes and shapes. She decided to make it symmetrical for the most part. 

We then went through all the ribbons and lace I had and she picked out some "antique" looking lace and ribbons in light colors as she didn't want bright thinking that her home may not be bright colors like her room is now.  

To be continued....

Introducing Grand Princess Number One

I am pleased to announce the arrival of Princess Number One's first child, Grand-Princess Number One. 

I got a call the first week in February telling me she was having contractions. Because they weren't regular, she wasn't sure she was in labor. The next morning, Princess One had a Dr. appointment and the Doctor told them to go to the hospital saying she was half way there. 

Oh how she wishes that would have been true. She had not slept in two nights due to hard contractions that kept her up all night.  She had invited me to spend the first week after delivery with her to help with the baby. 

I thought that a week with me and a week with her mother-in-law would be WAY too long and drive them crazy. When she called saying she wanted me up there the next morning to help them go home, I didn't worry about packing and getting on the road for the five hour drive to their new home. I figured I would have time to go up the next day.

Later that day, she still hadn't progressed much and my head started hurting and if you read this blog, you know that I get headache when a storm is coming. I checked the weather and realized there were storm warnings all over the state and that if I wanted to get across the state before the snow started, I had better get going. 

I hurried and packed and started on the road. I have never driven to that part of the state before so I was unfamiliar with the roads and the car I drive now is rear wheel drive and HORRIBLE in rain and snow. 

I hit flurries on the main highway and was grateful when I turned onto a small two lane highway that the roads had cleared. I stopped half way at a gas station for directions as I wanted to make sure I was on the right road. The man at the station told me that I was on the right road but if I hit snow over this particular pass, that I should turn around and head back as there was a woman that went off the cliff there and wasn't found for two weeks. 

That statement didn't make me feel very good and when I left the store, I looked down and laughed as there was a penny on the ground just outside the door. I picked it up and prayed it was a sign I would make it over the pass. 

When I got to that pass and it started snowing and sticking, I was terrified. It was a windy mountain road with no guard rails, no lights and dead deer all over the sides of the road and it was SLICK. I passed some trucks going about 5 miles an hour in the other direction and figured once I hit the pass, on the way down the snow would stop as it seemed that only the peak was in the snow. 

I shifted down and was going slowly down the other side but it was so steep I was worried the weight of the car could carry me off the road. I will NEVER go that road again unless it is a slow drive for the view during daylight hours in the middle of the summer with no chance of rain! 

A woman came to visit princess after the baby and I mentioned that scary drive and she said her husband broke his back in that same pass in the summer when he came upon an accident and there was no where to go but hit the cars involved in the accident or go off a cliff. So, I will be driving the long way round on main highways even if the other way is faster. 

After getting to their city, she still hadn't delivered and it was after midnight. I walked into the hospital to the waiting room as she didn't want anyone but her husband in the delivery room. I am sitting in the waiting room and I look up to see a framed "Wizard of Oz" picture on the wall and couldn't help think that it was a sign that she was in the right place. If you remember, her collection and room were decorated with the "Wizard of Oz" and here is another post about that. She is doing her nursery decorations in the "Wizard of Oz."

My fried was her Doula and she came out saying she was close. Another hour goes past and Prince number one comes out and asks his mother and I to go in and help her as he is exhausted and he can't lift her anymore. I get in there and she is sitting on a rubber ball falling asleep between contractions and shaking because her muscles are so fatigued. 

Hours before she'd hit seven and should have been having the baby but her labor was on and off. I suggested she get an epidural so she could get some rest and relax so perhaps the baby could come. 

She decides that is a good idea and about 5 a.m., they give her one and some medicine to help induce the contractions more. Her Doctor is leaving to go to a neighboring community at 6 a.m. so all hope was lost that he would deliver. At about 8 a.m. Prince number One comes into her regular hospital room where we were all escorted when she got the epidural telling us it was time to push and that Princess was OK if we were in there. 

Several hours later, she has pushed so long and hard that she can't push anymore. I was so upset by her screams as the epidural had worn off. The Dr. tells her he needs to get the baby out and wants to cut her. I am so frustrated he didn't do that hours ago. Finally, they take the baby with the vacuum and Princess pushing her little heart out. I had them put oxygen on her as I could see she had nothing left and they were all so worried about baby that everyone missed that she didn't have it on. When she came out, the cord had been around the neck/shoulder and when she would push, the cord was pulling her back and Grand-Princess was posterior which meant she was looking towards the sky which is opposite of what normally happens.

This got her caught on the tail bone and the baby had a bruise on her nose for a few days due to that but all in all, both did great. 

Princess One hemorrhaged a bit after baby was born and was given medication to help that and we are grateful it worked. I think all that pushing for over 2 hours caused her stress.

Grand Princess Number One was born just after 12 p.m. and weighed 7 pounds 13 oz and was 20 inches long.

Princess One had lots of stitches and swelling and walked like an "oompa loompa" for most of the week while I was there. She is finally returning to normal after getting some rest. She and Prince Number one both needed several days of recovery to get their strength back.

The baby did well for the first two days of life but then after two long nights, we realized that what her mom ate, affected her so Princess One modified her diet and started taking some digestive enzymes when she ate and the baby started getting better daily. 
 
The first two nights home, I was up most of the night with her fussing and gassy. On day three, I insisted we purchase a baby swing. I was getting worried to leave them with the baby screaming all night. There were times in the middle of the night I had no idea what to do but to just walk her around and sing to her while she screamed. 

Once she stopped eating beans, took digestive enzymes and got the baby swing going, things were HEAVENLY! Princess started getting more sleep at night and I took the baby in after she had a few hours sleep and then on the last night or two, she kept the baby the entire night and just got up to feed her and then they all went back to sleep. 
 
She had her first Dr. Visit while I was there and they said she is perfectly normal and healthy. That was good news but by then, we had figured that out.

I wanted to share that Princess number One made the beautiful afghan in the picture above. I showed her making it in this post here. I loved how she looks in it. It is right after her first bath at the hospital.

This picture on the left, is a picture of her next to a picture of Princess One about the same age. I pulled out her photo album and put it next to the baby and took a picture as I couldn't believe how much she looks like her mother. Her mother did have a bit more hair and was a bit bigger but in a few weeks, I am guessing that she will look exactly like her Princess mother. 

We are grateful that both momma and baby are doing well and healthy. I am grateful that I made it safely in a crazy storm, that I had signs of pennies on my way into town and found one as I gassed up the car to leave town. I loved that when I arrived, I was greeted with a rainbow and "Wizard of Oz" picture as I knew that we were in the right place for Grand Princess's birth. I am grateful that Princess allowed me into the room to help her and take video and pictures for her. I am grateful I got to spend a week with my girls. I am grateful for the staff that kept them both safe and most of all, I am grateful that my other Princess were safe while I was gone that they, and our new addition, are all healthy and safe.

I have lots to be grateful for so often......

It's Official - Driving Princess Four

I can't believe that I only have one more princess to teach to drive. Actually, her driving permit isn't all that far away. 

Princess Four always joked to her sisters that she would be the fist to get her license as soon as she could and they all waited to get theirs for various reasons. 


Well, she got her permit but as soon as she started driving, she realized it wasn't all fun and games and there was some responsibility with the situation and just stopped driving. 

Most of our driving is around town which consists of about three stoplights and five minutes either direction so there isn't much opportunity to get driving time unless we leave town. However, with all her activities, she didn't have much time to go on our out of town trips so getting her driving training hours in took FOREVER! 

Also, she had to drive with an instructor a few times and with her dance schedule, she couldn't get the drive time in with him either which left her waiting for a long time to be able to take the drivers test. She took the drivers education class a long time ago and then took her permit test a long time ago as well so I finally pushed her to get it all done so she can drive herself to college! :-) 

Actually, she needs to be able to drive herself and Princess Five around while I go see my new grand-daughter! So, it is official, she is now legal to drive and as you can see, she is happy to be able to do that. She took the car that night to play practice and I was THRILLED to be able to stay home and take a bath not having to worry about being ready to give them a ride home. 

I think I am going to like having her drive for the half year I have her before she heads to college. I have a full year plus for Princess Five to be able to drive herself but just under a year before she can start doing her driving hours. 

Yahoo for having drivers besides me at home! I have missed that. If you see her around town, smile and wave.

Ultra Bright Head Light

I bought some stuff in the car section to brighten up my car headlights as they were somewhat scratched up and I wanted to get more light through them. 


Just after purchasing a buffer kit for the lights, I saw somewhere that you can use toothpaste to polish your headlights on your car. 

I thought I would give that a try and save myself the $14 on the kit I purchased. 

I think it has to be the regular toothpaste and not the gel but what do I know. So, I used our "Ultrabrite" toothpast on the headlight. 

It is kinda hard to see on these pictures unless you blow them up bigger just what it did do but I just used paper towels and rubbed some toothpaste on the cover to the headlight and buffed it up with some paper towel and then a bit more and then just washed the toothpaste off the headlight and was amazed at what came off. 


It was weird though that on one light, the towel came away with brownish color on it and on the other headlight, it came off grey and dirty. I am not sure how one could be so much different but perhaps more mud was on one side and just bugs or something on the other side.


I do think it worked and is brighter than it was before. It amazes me what people will come up with and wonder who the first person to try it came up with the idea. Like I go around thinking to myself, "Hmm, I wonder what the headlight will look like if I rub some toothpaste on it?" 


I am glad someone figures these things out and shares them so I can save myself some money. It didn't take long to polish them both up and get them looking shiny and bright. I would have to say they are ULTRA BRIGHT, and not just because of the toothpaste brand I used! :-)

Beanie Hat for Man or Woman Made Out of Sweater

We had a friend give us a bag of clothes for the girls a month or so ago. The girls went through the clothes to see if there was anything they wanted to keep. 

There were some sweaters that they weren't interested in keeping but the colors on the sweaters were so cute that I thought they would make some cute "ghetto" beanie hats. I asked the girls if they would like the buttons on them 


The girls wanted just the hat and no decorations or ribbing on the edges. So, I didn't have to do much work to make these things. Basically, find a sweater that you think has a good pattern or yarn texture. 

You need to decide how long and gangsta or ghetto you want your beanie to be. They didn't want them to be really long so it was even easier. 


The way to make it without two seams, is to measure the back of the sweater to your head. If the front has a zipper or seam it makes it hard to use without seams. If the back (from side seam to side seam) fits around your head, then you can fold the sweater with right sides together matching the side seams and start sewing. 


You have to sew the seams before you cut them so that the knit doesn't unravel. I sewed a straight seam just inside the side seam. Then, once the seam is sewn straight, cut the sweater on the outer-side of the seam. Once you have it cut, you want to zig-zag the edges so they don't fray. 
 
Measure how long you want the hat once you have the tube made. When you decide how long you want it, sew the edge the same way you did the seam. Cut it and then zig-zag the edges the same way you did the side seam. 
 
Use some string of a similar color to gather the sewn seam for the top. Once it is gathered, tie it off.
 
You can make the hat as long as the sweater which can be quite long for most adult sweaters. 
 
I liked the colors on this one but have a few more that I want to try and make into beanies.

It seems that the style is getting longer and longer. 

If the sweater has a ribbed bottom, you can use that for the band on the beanie. 
 
You can get two to four hats off each sweater depending on how long and wide you want them. If the front is a split front with buttons or zippers, you will have to make side seams which isn't as cute so if you are picking out a sweater to make more than one beanie, I would suggest a sweater that isn't a button or zip up and has a solid front and back.