Beer Boxes, Gorgeous Models, and Jake the Pirate

Conversation overheard yesterday:
Carolena examines a full case of beer on our kitchen table and exclaims, "Whaatt?! Nils, this rocket ship space helmet is full of coke bottles!" to which Nils stares in disbelief and replies, "whaaattt?!"

Does that mean our children have never seen a full beer box before?

huh?
wwwhhhhaaattt??


****

In other news... remember how Carolena has spent her entire life referring to me as
such glamorous people as Ursula and Miss Hannigan? As in... pretty much since as soon as she could talk. Her roles for me are pretty consistent and when she calls out, "Mommy! There's you!" I know not to get my hopes up. I am fully aware of how she sees me.

This morning Nils and I were sitting at the kitchen table together reading a magazine while I drank coffee and he had breakfast. We were discussing things like the Golden Gate Bridge and Colorado (both places that he wants to go) and I flipped a page. Nils cried out "That YOU!" and pointed to this photo:

Oh Nils, sweet Nils. What do you want? A pony? I will get you a pony. A real firetruck? Yours. A trip to the Golden Gate Bridge? Colorado? The moon? All yours. I have spent the last years with a small child yelling "that you!" at the most hideous of photos. Nils, you have no idea how much this means to me. Name what you want. It's yours my Nils.

Hey, guess what else! When we went to Joanns last week Carolena actually requested that I sew her a dress and picked out the fabric. This was amazing in that she has never been very keen on any dress I have made for her. She has always been very appreciative and very gracious but then calmly not worn the dresses. So, when we walked around Joanns and she carefully selected Jake and the Neverland Pirates fabric and pink flamingos I was totally on board.

We came home and looked at my patterns and she chose a cute one with little cap sleeves, we talked through what the finished product might look like, and I got to work. This dress was Carolena's design and I was merely the (semi-skilled) laborer. I am sure that she will refer to it as her "Jake dress" and in my mind I will continue to call it what I dubbed it during construction "Murphy's dress" as in "anything that can go wrong..."

After more than my fair share of seam ripping, and a total overhaul of the back of the dress when it didn't fit, and more ripping when I accidentally sewed the pocket to part of the back of the dress (silent cussing ensued at that point)... I finally arrived at this:

That is pre-last ironing because, well, because that's when I took the photos. As you can see, the solution to "ah! the top is too tight!" was to reconstruct the back to be an open back with a ribbon tie on top. I actually prefer this new back to the original pattern. It seems much more summer-y to go with the style of the flamingo/Jake/summertime dress. Carolena and I make a really good team. As we looked at the almost-finished product and did a little brainstorming we together arrived at the idea of cutting out some small Captain Hooks and Jakes from the left over fabric and made small pillow-like guys to put in the pocket. C did all of the stuffing while I did the stitching and now the dress is complete with two of each so that C and N can play with them in church. Yes, really, that's the plan.

I love this dress. It is sooo Carolena. A little funky. A little girly. Very happy and colorful. Something trendy (Jake) but the trendy thing isn't girly. Oh, it's just so C. A big blue jean pocket from an old pair of jeans (I've had that in my sewing box for like 15+ years). Rickrack, piping, flamingos, pirates, mismatched sleeves. Here's hoping she actually wears this one!

How To Win Friends And Influence People: Not Afraid of Anything

Remember how I was looking for a book to read at C's school Halloween party?

Found it. Today we checked out The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything from the library. It should surprise no one that once I borrow my parents' gray wig (what? other people don't think that's a normal thing to say?*) I have all of the pieces to put together a costume and BE the little old lady.

YEESSSS!

Plus, I have everything to pull together all of the things she isn't afraid of in the book and have a really interactive book reading. The shoes go clomp clomp? Well guess what kid? You get to "clomp clomp" some of Chris' shoes.

The little old lady wasn't afraid of anything... and evidently neither am I because I just sent an email to people who don't know me (and thankfully one who does) depicting the details of my plan. THIS is what they're getting in response to "hey can someone find a Halloween book for us to read to the kids?"

{maniacal slytherin laughter is appropriate here}



*I also have been known to say, "Oh this old thing? It's my banana costume on permanent loan from the Jim Rush Collection."

We're Having Cold Mush

Carolena begins each day as a new person, or animal as is the case more often than not. Every morning begins with, "I'm not Carolena. I'm Baby Turtle (or whatever)" in response to my "Good morning Carolena!"

Last night she went to bed insisting that she was Annie while referring to Chris as Daddy Warbucks. This morning I was greeted with, "I'm not Carolena. I'm Annie. And you are... {pause to think} Annie Mommy. Where is Daddy Warbucks?!"

I spent the next hour being referred to as "Annie Mommy" assuming that she meant the well dressed total package singing and dancing woman who ends up with Daddy Warbucks. What IS her name?

We pulled out the arts and crafts supplies and began blasting the Annie soundtrack throughout the house. Carolena sang along to the Annie solos. I began singing along with the Annie Mommy songs and was immediately shushed and dismissed with one look.

Then Miss Hannigan's big number "Little Girls" came up on the playlist and I was reprimanded for not singing my song.

Miss Hannigan.

Could it be because of my bathtub full of gin?