JustJessie

Making history

We're studying fossils for our Science unit right now, mostly because a museum here in Alabama is going to have a t-rex exhibit in September.  I figured since Grayson and Grant are both interested in dinosaurs right now, we might as well immerse ourselves in them for a little while, and when we hit the museum next month, they'll know some of what they're seeing.  So, today we read a book about fossils and then made some of our own (as described in the book). 

I figured I would let them dry for a day or two and then hide them in my mom's sandbox, then let the boys have an archaeological dig out there.  They will so get into that!  We're planning to head to the river this weekend to see if we can find any of the real thing, too.  Wish us luck!

Passing on new skills, ww#11

Go bananas!

I am so happy over what I got in the mail today.  I ordered this banana fabric, and it finally came in today.  I'm going to make pants for Grant and a shirt with a monkey applique to go with it.  I'm so happy, I think I'll go start right now!  Hopefully pictures to follow in a couple of days!

Ninja snax

I know I've told you guys before, but my nephew is great.  He's the only eighteen year old boy I've known that would just as soon hang out with his aunt and uncle than go to a party.  He and his friends will come over to play games, or  he'll just come over by himself and hang out with me and the kids. 

The other day he happened to drop by with snacks for my boys from the Asian market  on a day when Grayson was being a ninja all day.  Talk about good timing!  Grayson could not believe he got to eat actual Japanese "ninja" snacks. 

Grant was just happy to have chocolate-filled-bear-shaped-cookies!  And Kyle to horse around with all afternoon.

busy times

I have been a sewing madwoman lately.  I can't help it, it's so much fun!  The kids are so excited every time I show them something I made for them, and it's so much fun to wear something I made for myself.  Here are two of the products of this week's time in the sewing room...

These are the pictures you get when you ask an almost two-year-old to pose and say cheese for a picture.  Maybe I should have asked him to dance and be crazy.  Then he would have smiled like an angel :)  Grant is in love with "mouse toodles" (for those who don't know, that's mickey), and when I showed him his shirt today, he wanted it on and wore it all day... it was 104 degrees.  So I'm guessing if it was worth being even hotter on an impossibly hot day, he must have liked it!

  And here's a picture of my boobs new shirt.  You know, it's really hard to take a flattering picture of yourself ever, but especially when you're trying not to get your face or hair in the pic.  Anyway, this is the second shirt I've made for myself, and I like it best.  My friend got a shirt much like this on Etsy, and I liked it so much I decided to be a total copy cat and make one for myself!  There are lots of other projects on the way, but I think I need to clean my house first.  It's been awhile...

Cowboys 'n Indians

A great day

"I had a great day today, Mom."  That's what Grayson said after I tucked him in tonight.  I cannot tell you how fulfilled that sentence makes me feel. 

I have made some changes in our house without telling anyone.  After our morning TLC cartoons, I am switching off the set for the rest of the day.  You know the best thing about it?  Grayson hasn't even noticed!  We made a trip to the library yesterday and checked out The BFG by Roald Dahl, and we are already halfway through it.  Everytime we have a few minutes to sit, Grayson brings me the book and asks for a chapter. 

We also did this:

I totally swiped this idea from a friend who had her children make a "city" outside with chalk.  Since it's a bajillion degrees in Alabama right now, we made ours inside!  Grayson had soo much fun with this one.  I think his favorite part was making my cars wait for his train to pass.  :) 

My strategy so far is, whenever he asks to watch tv, I suggest something fun to do together, or I break out our new "dangerous book"  and we learn a new skill from it.  I think we are all happier and more fulfilled for finally switching off the ol' telly.

Second time around

Can you believe I sewed Grayson's whole pajama set last night?  Okay, so that doesn't sound like a major feat, but when you consider that it took two days to make Grant's, I'd say it's an accomplishment!  And I made it through the whole thing without having to rip out a single seam ( I lost count with Grant's). 

So now both my boys have Georgia bulldog jammies to watch the games with their dad this fall.  Can you believe college football starts in like two weeks?  Ugh.  There go my Saturdays.

Another reason

Another reason I haven't been posting as much is that I've been sewing a lot.  Not that I've actually accomplished much, but I'm working on it. 

These jammies for Grant are the first actual clothes that I've made.  It was pretty fun, or at least it would have been if I hadn't sewn the pants together upside down... twice.  Now that I know what I was doing wrong I'm hoping to breeze right through the next ones.  We'll see, though.  I surprise myself with my ditziness sometimes.

I've got some really great projects in mind for the boys, and I plan to make an extra of everything so I can start an Etsy shop with it.  I'm really excited about that one!  So, moms of little boys (or aunts, uncles, or cousins) keep an eye out for some super-cool boys stuff (*deep announcer voice* Coming soon to a blog near you...)

I'm still here!

I am still here, I swear!  We've been doing some adjusting to a new schedule which has thrown my rhythm off completely, but we are still kicking!

There are lots of changes afoot in the Keith home.  The biggest I suppose is that our homeschooling has begun in earnest.  A big adjustment, let me tell ya!  Grayson has basically done whatever he wanted (within reason) with his day for his whole life.  He is soo not used to being asked to be still and learn something.  The first week was a learning experience for both of us. 

Our first day of "school" Grayson was unbelievably excited.  The problem is, I don't think he understood the concept of a school year.  For our first science unit, we're raising butterflies, and when I told him it took three weeks for them to change from caterpillars to butterflies, he said, "You mean we'll be doing school that long?!"  'Fraid so son, and then some! 

So far it's been fun, though.  A learning experience for sure, and a major growing experience for me.  I didn't realize what a short temper I had, or how much I liked to control Grayson's actions until I saw myself in this new role.  It's opened my eyes, and hopefully is changing me for the better.